Incendium
by Vertikalen
Summary: Cay's father, a lead scientist in his field, is killed in a fire at the facility where he conducts his research. In the aftermath of his death Cay is rescued by a team of young heroes: Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Robin and Miss Martian.
1. Introduction

I sat in class and watched the clock on the wall. My teacher droned on, monotone to my ears, as he wished us all the best on our summer vacation. I ignored him and shoved my books into my bag. The tinny sound of the bell sounded and I leapt from my seat, heading to the door. I sprinted down the hallway and out the doors before any of my classmates had even risen from their seats. I'll admit that I was a little overzealous about the summer. It was my favorite time of the year.

Out in the parking lot I scanned the rows of cars for that of my father's housekeeper, Miss Spruce.

I spotted the dark blue Cadillac and began walking towards it, slinging my bag over my right shoulder. Miss Spruce stood by the driver's side door shouting at a skinny blonde woman who was sitting in a fancy sports car in the space next to her. I couldn't make out what they were saying as they were at the back of the parking lot, but based on the woman's shocked expression Miss Spruce's final comment was something certainly scathing and possibly insulting. She opened the driver's side door and lowered herself into the driver's seat. Moments later the Cadillac pulled from its parking spot and moved towards me. I stopped and waited for it to reach me.

As the car rolled to a stop in front of me Miss Spruce rolled down the passenger side window. "Hello pet. How was your day?" She asked.

"Fine," I grunted, pulling open the door. "Boring without Myr and Sam. Glad it's over."

"For this year," Miss Spruce laughed.

I rolled my eyes and settled back into the seat. "I would rather not think about summer vacation ending."

She laughed again. The car trundled out of the parking lot and into the road. After a few moments of silence Miss Spruce cleared her throat and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. Something she only ever did when she was about to bring up something that was sure to cause a stir.

"I talked to your Daddy today, Cay."

"Did you?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "What did he have to say? More instructions?"

"Now pet don't be like that. Your Daddy's just busy with his work," Miss Spruce said.

"He's been busy with one thing or another for the last ten years Miss Spruce," I said bitterly. "What did he want?"

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. My father and I hadn't been on speaking terms since he had missed my birthday. Four years running.

"Well, he wanted to know how school and if you had begun thinking about which university you were planning on applying to-"

"He knows I haven't," I replied spitefully.

Miss Spruce shot me a withering look and continued. "And then he wanted to know if you were free for lunch tomorrow."

I groaned. "So we can sit in awkward silence while we eat overpriced food at some swanky restaurant downtown. No thank you."

"I told him he could pick you up at 11:30 tomorrow."

I groaned and turned up the radio. After a moment I shut it off and turned to Miss Spruce.

"All of a sudden he wants to be my friend? He's so full of it. Why did you tell him I'd meet him for lunch? I'd rather eat a plate full of toenail clippings!" I ranted, my anger swelling as I settled into a brooding silence.

Miss Spruce didn't reply but kept stealing glances of me as she drove the car through the busy streets of Metropolis. Finally we arrived at the house and I was able to escape her worried looks. Unlocking the front door I dropped my bag in the hallway and charged up the stairs to my room.

"Take your pills Cay!" Miss Spruce cried.

"Will do!" I replied, continuing up the stairs.

"What time are you getting home tonight, Pet?"

"Around midnight?"

"How about you knock two hours off that figure and we'll talk," she suggested.

"Eleven sounds good to me, Miss Spruce!"

"Cay I think you'd better check your math."

I laughed and walked into my room, shutting the door behind me. I was meeting my friends Myr and Sam at the Kasma Café downtown and Miss Spruce always had a problem with me staying out late. I fell back onto my bed and stretched luxuriously. The pill bottles on my bedside table caught my eye and I knocked them to the floor with a well aimed kick. I closed my eyes and sighed. My father had always synthesized supplements for me. Apparently I had some sort of protein deficiency. I had taken the chalky blue pills ever since I could remember. I made a mental note to take one when I woke up, deciding to have a nap before going out and then I slipped seamlessly into sleep.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of Miss Spruce pounding on my door.

"Caelyn," she cried. "Cay are you awake?"

I yawned and looked at my clock. It read 11:17. I was so late. Sam, Myr and I had planned to meet at 5:00 outside the café. I checked my cell and had thirteen unread messages and six missed calls. Perhaps setting it to vibrate was not one of my brighter moments. I sighed, deciding to ignore them and just show up at the café. I'd make up a believable excuse for my absence on the way over. Myr and Sam had planned to stay there all night anyway. Why would it matter what time I got there?

"Thanks Miss Spruce. I overslept," I yawned. "Couldn't you have come up a few hours ago?"

"Pet, I'm coming in. I didn't come up here so you could go gallivanting off you're your friends. There's something you need to see." She pushed open the door, her face etched with lines of worry.

"What is it?" I'd never seen her look like this. "Miss Spruce what's wrong?"

"I was just watching the news." She picked up the remote for my small TV off the dresser. "And I saw this."

The screen lit up with an image of the SlapCut, only $29.99, but Miss Spruce quickly changed the channel to the Metropolan news station Channel 4. An image of a large burning industrial building filled the screen. Across the bottom the banner read "Explosion at Cadmus Facility causes inferno; two scientists escape unscathed, many feared dead". Miss Spruce and I sat in silence as the news anchor recapped what had happened. A fire had started. The Justice League had shown up. Two scientists had been rescued. Day saved.

'_And with the League assembled, you can be sure things have been taken care of_,' the news anchor finished. _'__Back to you Jay_.'

The screen changed to one of a news room and Miss Spruce turned off the set. I sat in stunned silence. My father was one of the head researchers at Cadmus. My father was... My father was dead.

"Caelyn?" Miss Spruce said hesitantly.

Having never met my Father for more than a few hours at a time each year I felt very little upon learning of his death. Miss Spruce was obviously upset, but she knew him far better than I did. I picked up my cell and sent a quick message to Myr saying I wouldn't be able to make it to the café.

"So what do we do now?" I asked throwing my phone onto my pillow.

Miss Spruce sighed her eyes shining with tears. "Well I expect we'll get a call from your Daddy's employers. Pet, I hope you don't feel—"

"I don't," I said, my voice dull.

I stared down at the carpeted floor of my room. I could feel Miss Spruce's eyes on me. But I didn't bother to try and tell her I was okay. After a moment of tense silence she stood up and straightened her hair in the mirror above my dresser.

"I'd best straighten up the living room." And with that she strode out of my room, once again calm and collected. "We'll be having plenty of guests in the next couple days, pet."

I stayed sitting on the edge of my bed thinking about my father. He had spent the last five years working for the Cadmus Research Group and I had seen him a handful of times since then. To be brutally honest, I didn't even consider him family. We may have been related by blood but Miss Spruce was my real family. My father was just a man I met with every year to awkwardly discuss schoolwork.

I sighed and collapsed back onto my mattress. And then, just like that, he was gone.

* * *

The next few days went by in a blur. People phoned in, sending me their condolences.

People showed up at the house again, offering their condolences.

People I had never met and yet, now that my father was dead, they acted as if they had known me for years.

It was disconcerting. I didn't know how to respond. So I just stood by, nodding as they prattled on about how they had worked with my father or how they had known him. Eventually Miss Spruce would intervene and I could escape to my room as she distracted our guests.

After a particularly long day which had seen Miss Spruce out of the house, dealing with something to do with my father's death, I heard the doorbell ring. It took me a minute or so to get down to the front door but as I opened it there was no one there. I stared down the darkened street scanning the light cast by streetlights trying to see who had pressed the doorbell, but there was nothing.

Nothing but a manila envelope leaning against the doorframe.

I stared down at it dumbly as Miss Spruce's familiar blue Cadillac pulled down the street and into the driveway. I waved to her and stepped back through the door, waiting for her to join me in the house.

She was there almost instantly, hovering worriedly next to me as I brandished the envelope.

"It was on the porch," I said, leaning up against the wall as she slipped off her shoes. "Someone rang the doorbell and just left it."

Miss Spruce shot it a distrusting look. "And have you—"

I cut her off by ripping open the envelope. As I did so a DVD case fell to the floor.

"Wonderful," she grumbled. "People leaving strange movie discs on our porch. Just what we needed."

Smiling despite myself I knelt down to retrieve the disc. Scrawled on the front of the case was: _For my daughter._

I felt my breath catch in my throat.

Miss Spruce, ever the helpful, gasped. "Oh my."

As I straightened up I held out the DVD. "Take it."

Looking down at the disc Miss Spruce shook her head. "It was meant for you." She paused. "Now you go set it up. I'll make us some tea."

Doing as I was told, I trudged off to put the disc into the DVD player. A few minutes later Miss Spruce walked through the kitchen doorway, carrying two cups of tea and I pressed the play button. The screen stayed blank as I sat down next to her on the couch. Suddenly my father's face filled the screen. His light brown hair was messy and he looked haggard with dark bags under his eyes.

_'Cay_,' he said, gazing out from the television. '_If you're watching this I'm no longer around to watch over you.__I'm sorry for keeping myself so distant from you but when I've had my chance to explain I hope you can understand. I've done all I could to protect you._' He paused. '_I hope you can forgive me._

_'For years you've taken supplements that I synthesized under the pretence that you have a deficiency in the production of certain proteins within your body. You've never had a protein deficiency, Cay. For years the synthetics in the pills have disabled your body's production of pyrophillic complexes. Before you were born my team and I replaced certain coding in your genome from a collection of bacteria known as extremophiles. The coding has given you a fire resistant epidermis and your internal organs can withstand much higher temperatures than that of a normal human. As well as this the coding will eventually allow your body to produce the protein complexes and excrete them through your skin at will. I knew this would make you a target if those who were opposed to my research ever got wind of your existence so I hid you within our home…_

'_The last bottle of pills I left with Miss Spruce was filled with nothing more than placebos.__ You should be almost halfway through the transition period by now if Miss Spruce coordinated things correctly and this is the most dangerous stage. Cay, in the next 24 hours you will be a walking fire hazard. Your body with produce flammable material whether or not you want it to._

_'Until you are able to control the production of the protein complexes you must keep out of sight. After the first 24 hours your body will stop continuous production of the proteins and you will be able to control their excretion through your skin. It will take time but I trust you will learn to control it._

_'I wish I could tell you all there is to know about your abilities but the truth is Cay, I have no idea what you'll be able to do. Every other human I've tried to genetically alter in the same way you have been always ends in disaster. You're unique Cay and you could be extremely powerful. There is one concrete thing I can tell you. Once your body begins excreting the protein you__**must not**__come into prolonged contact with any aqueous matter. Water will destroy them Cay, the protein complexes cannot withstand contact with it. You will be rendered powerless, in a sense. When the protein complexes are not active however, contact with water or anything aqueous will exhibit no adverse effects._

_'Now, Cay, you and Miss Spruce need to leave the house. There are people that will pursue you based on what they find in my research and you must not fall into their hands. There are -'_

The TV went blank as all the power in the house failed. Miss Spruce and I sat in darkness for a moment until she clued into what was happening.

"Cay I think your Daddy underestimated those people," she whispered as three dull thuds sounded on the rood. "You need to get out of here. Unfortunately we aren't equipped to deal with this turn of events."

"What are you talking about? I'm not leaving you!" I hissed. "We'll go together."

There was a metallic click and Miss Spruce laughed quietly. "Pet, you don't need to worry about me."

"Miss Spruce are you holding a gun?" I asked, shock registering in my voice.

She put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a gentle push. "Go on Pet. You're in danger here. The pills I gave you yesterday evening were placebos. You need to get moving unless you want them to make you into a giant walking Molotov cocktail. I've almost gotten you through the most dangerous part of your transition Cay. I won't let it all go to hell now."

I moved towards the door and then stopped. "Miss Spruce, did my father know he was going to die?"

"He had things all planned out Pet. Right down to the last detail."

There was the sound of footsteps on the roof as I ran for the door and then the entire house erupted into chaos. Figures descended through the ceiling into the living room as I slammed the front door behind me. Gun fire echoed within the walls of my childhood home as I tore off down the street. I felt tears welling in my eyes as I thought of Miss Spruce. If anything happened to her I would never be able to forgive myself.

My father had told me to find somewhere safe but where was that? I kept running down street after street until I was too exhausted to keep going. I slowed to a walk and then stopped, panting and out of breath. I debated going to Sam or Myr's to hide out for the next twenty four hours until I had things figured out.

But then I realized I couldn't put them in danger. There was only one place I could go. If I really had some sort of genetically altered superpower, then I would find other people like me. In short, I would go to police and in turn, get in contact with the Justice League.

They would help me.

They helped everyone.

However my plans were cut short. As I began to walk down the sidewalk the back of my head exploded with pain. The last thing I saw was the pavement rushing up towards me.

* * *

I awoke lying on a floor of cool metal. My hands were bound behind my back with a smooth metallic cord and my feet had been lashed together with a similar material. It was thick and pressed uncomfortably against my skin as I tried to move my hands. My head was pounding and I could feel something warm dripping down the back of my neck.

I sat up and looked around. I was sitting in the middle of a dark metal room. There was no sign of a door. Even if I hadn't been tied up I wouldn't have been able to go far. I cursed silently, fear twisting my gut.

Suddenly a sheet of the metal wall slid upwards and a bright light was cast across my face. I looked away as a pair of people strode towards me.

"Good to see you're awake," said the man to my left, motioning to two vaguely human-shaped figures that appeared behind him in the light. "Take her."

They advanced towards me and in what had to be the lamest attempt I could fathom, I rolled onto my elbows and knees and tried to shimmy away. The woman in the doorway laughed as the two men easily lifted me off the ground. They were nasty looking brutes with thick necks and small pig-like eyes. With one holding my legs and the other grasping the back of my shirt I continued to struggle until the one supporting my upper body cracked me across the back of the skull. Black dots flashed across my vision and I stopped squirming, allowing them to carry me out of the room.

The man and woman regarded me as their cronies carried me past. The woman was tall with dark hair and eyes. She had a cruel gaze and was smiling as I tried to regain my senses. The man was older and a little bit shorter than his female partner. He had brown hair that was going gray and light blue eyes. He looked strangely familiar, but I couldn't place his face.

Tweedledee and Tweedledum carried me through a matrix of hallways until we emerged into the night on the deck of the ship we were apparently on. The air smelled salty and I knew that we were out on the ocean. My stomach dropped as my father's words came flooding back to me.

Water.

The twenty four hours were definitely not up and even if I knew how to ignite the proteins I wouldn't be able to stay burning underwater. The two brutish assistants dropped me on the deck and I felt some of my ribs crack as I made contact with the ground.

The sound of laughter distracted me from the pain in my side for a moment. The woman walked up to where I was lying and leaned against the railing of the ship.

"You know something Cay, you certainly are interesting," she said, looking down at me her smiled disappearing and her eyes becoming hard. "Too bad you're an abomination. I think we could have been friends."

I stared up at her, uncomprehending. "What are you talking about lady? I'm-"

She cut me off with a swift kick in the side and smiled as I coughed, the wind knocked out of me. "You are against everything that I stand for, girl. Of course, it's not your fault; blame your father that this has happened to you."

The older man strode up and placed a hand on her arm. "Tess, don't be like that. She may be the enemy but you can still treat her with respect." He looked down at me. "I'm sorry it has to be like this Cay. Your father was a student of mine, back in his younger days. Unfortunately his experiments and research led him down a path that was less than desirable. He tried to atone but unfortunately, until you are destroyed nothing can really be forgiven. I really am sorry for you. In all of this Cay you are blameless."

"If I'm so blameless why are you doing this?" I asked, sounding pitiful to my own ears. But I was scared. I just wanted to go home. "I don't even know who you are."

"It doesn't matter," the woman, Tess, said. "Your very existence goes against the Light. And should you fall into the wrong hands… Well, that can't happen. You must be dealt with. The Light must prevail."

The old man sighed and nodded. "I am sorry Cay. For you and your father."

"What are you talking about?" I coughed, my ribs protesting as I moved slightly. "What light?"

The brutes bent down and lifted me up by the crook of my arms and my legs and began moving me towards the edge of the ship. I realized what he planned to do and I started screaming at the top of my lungs and thrashing around.

"Let me go!" I shouted, catching one of the men carrying me in the gut with my bound feet. "Put me down!"

Tess watched with a smile as I neared the railing. I gave one final attempt to escape as the cronies paused before casually tossing me into the ocean below.

The fall seemed to last forever. The ocean rushed up towards me as Tess's gleeful laughter drifted down from the deck above. I hit the water with a resounding smack which knocked the wind out of me again and caused my left side to erupt in pain. I tried to cry out but inhaled a mouthful of salt water and then I began to sink. I struggled against my restraints but there was no way I could break through the metal cord.

The water burned my eyes and nose as I thrashed blindly trying with all my might to get back to the surface. My father's warning about the water again flashed through my mind as I felt my strength begin to wane. What would happen if the proteins were destroyed? Would it begin destroying my body after the complexes?

And so I found myself drowning when suddenly, I felt something brush my arm. I struck out. Strength renewed by fear.

My feet connected with something solid and something tried to wrap itself around my waist. I propelled myself away but it was no use, I was already in its grasp. The cord around my wrists went slack but the last of my strength was spent. I drifted, suspended in the water as the dark shape moved closer towards me.

My vision darkened as hands wrapped around my wrists and began pulling me upwards. The last thing I remembered was my head breaking the surface as I choked on the seawater that remained in my mouth.

The hands around my wrists loosened their grasp.

"You are safe," a male voice sounded from somewhere behind me.

For some reason, I believed him. And then I slipped into unconsciousness.


	2. Where We Begin

I regained consciousness lying in a small bed in a room that smelled strongly of disinfectant. As I opened my eyes I was blinded, everything was white and the sunlight streaming in through the window didn't really help.

I looked to my left and saw a plain door. No machines, no hovering nurses. I had no idea where I was but it was certainly no hospital. I sat up slowly, my left side twinged as I swung my feet down to the floor. It was cold beneath my soles as I slowly rose off the bed. I felt unsteady but staggered over to the door hoping to find someone to explain where I was. My hand nearing the handle it turned and swung inward nearly knocking me down. As I stumbled backwards Miss Spruce bustled in.

Seeing me on my feet she looked about ready to burst into tears.

"Cay!" She shrieked, reaching out and resting her hands on my shoulders. "I would hug you Pet, but I think it might do more harm than good! What are you doing out of bed?"

I grinned weakly. "Good to see your experience with the crazy cult commandoes hasn't dulled your motherly instincts Miss Spruce. And as to my being out of bed, I woke up in an unfamiliar room and decided to go and see if maybe I had been kidnapped by a different sect of cultists my father managed to offend."

Miss Spruce eyed me reproachfully.

"Well a bunch of greenhorns like them had nothing on me, pet," She replied. "I've got a few tricks of my own."

I sat back down on the bed as she leaned against the door frame, a smug look crossing her face.

"Right," I mused. "I forgot. You've been packing this entire time and I've never even noticed. Who are you Miss Spruce?"

"There are quite a few things you haven't noticed Cay. And if you must know I was employed by your father when your mother left to protect and care for you."

"Since when does being a nanny mean you have to tote around a handgun in your apron!"

"My, my, aren't we sassy today! If you must know," she said, lowering her voice, "I am an ex-intelligence agent with extensive weapons training." As I felt my jaw drop she grinned. "And that's the truth Pet!"

"You're kidding! Who did you work for?" I cried in disbelief.

She chuckled. "If I told you Pet, I'd have to kill you."

"I highly doubt that," I scoffed. "Aren't you here to protect me? Tell me Miss Spruce!"

Grinning she stepped out the doorway and into the hall, out of my sight.

"Miss Spruce?"

It was a girl's voice. One I didn't recognize. I craned my neck, trying to see out the door.

"Yes, Megan?" Miss Spruce responded, apparently she was acquainted with the stranger.

"I could hear you talking," the girl, Megan, responded. "Does that mean that Cay is awake?"

I stayed seated on the bed, waiting for them to include me in the conversation when I heard footsteps echoing up the hall.

"Yo, Sprucey!" A boy's voice chuckled. "How's the patient?"

I couldn't see her, but I knew Miss Spruce would bristle at the mention of such a horribly contrived nickname.

"She is awake," she said shortly, "and I'm sure-"

"Cool!" The same voice exclaimed.

And then a lot of people came flooding into my room. The first was a boy with a shock of red hair and green eyes. The second, a short dark haired boy who seemed familiar was wearing dark sunglasses, obscuring his eyes. Miss Spruce pressed her way between them followed by a girl who was normal enough, despite the fact that her skin was a strange hue of green.

I regarded them all for a minute and then turned to Miss Spruce.

Before I could speak, she held up her hand. "Associates of the Justice League."

"Actually, we're sidekicks," pointed out the red haired boy.

Miss Spruce shot him a venomous look. "Mr. West if you continue down this road of irritating behavior I can assure you that I will not hesitate to box your ears."

The boy just grinned. "Only if you can catch me!"

The short, dark haired boy laughed. "I have a feeling she definitely would Wally."

"Most definitely," the green skinned girl, Megan, agreed.

"Can someone please tell me where I am? Why I'm here? Who brought me here? Who you are?" I pleaded.

The red haired boy, Wally, sat down in a chair in the corner and pulled a candy bar from his pocket as his shorter dark-haired friend began to speak.

"The League received a distress call from your housekeeper, Miss Spruce. She explained to the League that you were manifesting, in a sense, superpowers and that there were people plotting to kill you. Since the League generally doesn't stand for that they traced your position through a tracker implanted in your foot-"

"Hold up," I snapped, cutting him off as I turned back to Miss Spruce. "A tracker in my foot?"

"When you were little you were always wandering away," she said simply. "A tracking device was the simplest remedy to the situation. I never lost you again."

"You don't see anything ethically wrong with that?" I asked as Miss Spruce shook her head. "Couldn't you have just put me on one of those kiddy leashes or something?"

I shook my head uncomprehendingly as the dark haired youth continued.

"Anyway, the League located you a few miles off shore of Happy Harbor. They sent a few heroes to retrieve you, Kaldur and I tagged along," he added gleefully. "We pulled you out of the water, fought some baddies and then Batman ordered us to bring you back here. Mount Justice. Then Miss Spruce showed up and you've been sleeping for the past three days."

His story complete he looked at me expectantly.

"Uh, thanks?"

"No problem," he grinned. "Part of the job."

Then it hit me.

"You delivered my father's will last night!" I cried. "That's where I know you!"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I did, didn't I? Too bad Kaldur and I hadn't stuck around for a drink right?"

"Yeah…" I looked around the room. "Who are you guys?"

"Megan!" The green girl said smiling.

"Wally," the red haired boy mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate.

"And I'm Robin," the short haired boy finished. "You've met Kaldur, and then there's Superboy. But he's in the kitchen…" He trailed off.

"Being angry?" Wally supplied helpfully.

"He's just confused," Megan replied, "and understandably so."

The room fell into an awkward silence.

"Can any of you tell me why I'm here?" I asked. Hoping the change in subject would encourage a discussion not involving some angry person named Superboy.

Megan shrugged and looked at Wally.

"No clue why you're here, sorry," he said thickly, a mouthful of candy bar inhibiting his speech.

"Me either," Robin shrugged.

Miss Spruce walked over to the bed and sat next to me. "The reason you're here Pet is because you are now something extraordinary. And until you know how to control your powers you can't really be walking around with the general population. We don't want you spontaneously combusting and scaring civilians."

I sighed. "Well… can you tell me who those people on the boat were?"

Robin shook his head. "We have no idea. But don't worry; the League is on it."

Miss Spruce stood up and straightened her blouse. "Well, I think that maybe it's time for you to come out of the room and meet the Batman. I'm going to go notify him that you're awake. For now you go to the kitchen and get something to eat, Pet," she said walking to the door. "After three days I'd bet anything you're hungry."

She waltzed out as I stood up. "Three days?" I mused. "Was that really how long I was out?"

Megan nodded. "Miss Spruce was really worried. When they brought you back she was shouting at Batman and Superman. It was a little scary."

"Yeah, Miss Spruce will do that… I hope she didn't offend anyone," I sighed.

"Nah," said Robin. "They'll get over it."

"Wanna get something to eat?" Wally asked, sidling up to me. "I can totally escort you to the kitchen."

He winked as Robin stifled a laugh.

"Thanks Wally but I think I can make it to the kitchen without an escort," I replied. What a dork.

He shrugged. "The offers always open baby."

I turned to Megan rolling my eyes. "So, which way?"

"Follow me!" She said, rising up into the air and gently floating away.

I turned to Robin. "Is that normal?"

"For her? Yeah. Don't worry, you'll get use to it," he assured me.

I nodded and slowly followed Megan out the door and down the hallway, limping slightly. Robin and Wally sauntered after me, conversing quietly.

"Dude two hot chicks? This is just too much!" Wally whispered.

"You don't have chance Wally," Robin replied.

"That's what you think!"

I turned around and they stopped dead in their tracks.

"I can totally hear you."

Wally looked like a kid that had been caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar as Robin howled with laughter.

"You are just so smooth Wally," I said.

I turned back and continued down the hallway, Wally following a little farther behind with Robin, who was still laughing. Megan's head appeared in a doorway a few steps ahead of me and she grinned.

"I made cookies this morning and we got a new shipment of supplies in yesterday," she said happily as I walked in and looked around.

It was a nice set up. Stove, microwave, dishwasher, fridge and on the center counter was a plate full of charred cookies. Megan picked it up and offered me one.

"Oh, thanks," I said. "But I'm really in the mood for something a little more substantial than cookies. Maybe I'll just make a sandwich."

"Coming right up!" Megan crowed rushing over to the fridge.

"It's okay!" I said, trailing after her. "I can make it."

She grinned and shook her head. "I've been watching cooking shows to become accustom with Earth cuisine. Please, don't worry, I really like doing it!"

I smiled weakly. "Okay then," I murmured as she rushed around the kitchen, gathering ingredients.

"Let's leave her to it, Kal should be back soon and you can meet Superboy," Wally said, walking out of the kitchen through another door. "Follow me!"

Robin was one step ahead of me as I walked through the frame.

"It'll be ready in a few minutes," Megan called after me.

"Thanks Megan," I called back as she began slicing bread. If her cookies were any indication of her cooking prowess I was a little worried as to what my sandwich was going to turn out like.

I stepped into a spacious room with a collection of white couches and chairs clustered around the biggest TV screen I had ever seen. Sitting on one of them with a bowl of cubed fruit was a handsome dark haired guy. Wally walked up and plopped down next to him.

"Hey Supey! Look who's up!" He said.

As the guy, Superboy, continued eating his fruit as he shot me a venomous look.

Robin nudged my arm. "Just ignore him," he whispered. "He's got major issues."

"He also has super-hearing," Superboy growled. "What do you want?"

"Geez man," Wally complained. "You are so unfriendly. I mean, c'mon, is it so hard to just say 'hello'?"

Superboy turned around and fixed me with a cold stare. "Hello."

"Hi… I'm Caelyn," I said shifting uncomfortably. "Or Cay…"

He made an unintelligible grunt-like noise and turned back around. Wally rolled his eyes.

"Here Supey, let me help you out. Cay, this is Superboy," he said. "He may not look it but he's totally pleased to meet you."

Superboy glared at Wally.

"I'm just trying to help you out man!" The redhead protested. "Don't give me that look!"

"Didn't you say there was one more member of your team?" I asked Robin, who was watching the proceedings with a bemused expression.

He nodded. "Yeah, Kaldur. I'm not sure where he is. He left before I got here."

"So, do you all have superhero names?" I asked, sinking down onto one of the couches as Robin and Wally followed suit on either side of me. The couches were really comfy.

"Yeah, I'm Robin," he laughed as I looked at him questioningly. "Keep your secret identity just that… a secret! That's what Batman says, anyway."

"Rob's just paranoid. He's—" Wally was cut off as Robin elbowed him in the side.

The younger boy rolled his eyes as Wally flicked on the TV shooting him a dirty look as he tenderly rubbed his ribs. "_Big Mouth_ over there is Kid Flash, Megan is Miss Martian, Superboy doesn't have an alias… so we all just call him Superboy, and Kaldur is Aqualad."

Before I could voice another question Megan, followed closely by Miss Spruce swept out of the kitchen. On a plate were twenty or so wedges of sandwich that Megan placed on a small table in front of me.

"There's enough for everyone!" she said gleefully, picking one up and biting into it. "Peanut butter and jelly!" She walked over to the couch where Superboy was and sat next to him. "Sandwich?"

He shook his head.

Wally jumped up off the couch and rushed over. "Awesome!"

He grabbed a handful and ran back to his spot as Superboy looked on with indifference. Miss Spruce sat next to me as I picked up a few of the sandwiches.

She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by a strange buzzing noise from the next room over. A metallic computer generated voice announced the arrival of Aqualad. Robin turned around in his chair a tall, light haired guy walked into the room.

"Hello Kaldur!" Megan greeted.

"M'gann," he replied as his gaze resting on me.

"Cay woke up!" Wally supplied as I swallowed my last bite of sandwich. "Good news eh?"

"Hi," I said, as he walked in and lowered himself into the chair across from me. "I'm Cay. But you probably know that…"

He nodded. "I'm Kaldur'ahm- but call me Kaldur. All of my friends do."

"Okay. Sounds good." Silence descended as I stared awkwardly at the plate of sandwiches.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah, a bit. Definitely not going anywhere near large bodies of water any time soon," I said.

"I'm sorry we couldn't have gotten to you sooner. However, you were a little hard to get hold of."

I thought of the figure in the water, before I blacked out. "Were you by chance the one that pulled me out of the water?"

He nodded.

"I'm sorry!" I cried. "If I had known that you were trying to help me I wouldn't have kicked you!"

Robin laughed and plucked a sandwich from the plate. "Cay, you had just been thrown off a ship and were drowning. If you hadn't put up some sort of resistance that would have been a little disappointing. Anyway Kaldur's fine."

"Well thanks," I continued. "I owe you."

"You do not owe me anything."

I opened my mouth to protest but he continued. "However, if you really believe you need to repay me I am sure you will find the opportunity."

Miss Spruce tapped my shoulder as the metallic voice announced the arrival of Batman, and someone named Red Tornado. The announcement was once again accompanied by the strange buzzing noise. Robin jumped up out of his chair and disappeared out of the room.

"C'mon Pet, time to meet the head honchos," Miss Spruce said, standing up. "Now you be on your best behavior."

I rolled my eyes. "Miss Spruce, you really don't need to remind me of something like that. And I heard that you were shouting at the Batman!"

"Well… those involved extenuating circumstances," she sniffed. "But you behave, Pet! I'm having visions of the time we went in to meet the Principal of that Gifted School your Daddy wanted you enrolled in."

"What happened at the Gifted School?" Wally asked, shutting off the TV and rising to his feet.

"I didn't want to go so I would stop in midsentence and stare off into space whenever I was answering a question that the Principal asked," I grinned, remembering the day fondly as I walked towards the doorway Robin had taken. "He thought I was crazy and they rejected my Father's application immediately."

Wally laughed. "Awesome."

"Not so awesome when you have to explain it to an angry father," Miss Spruce said.

The adjacent room was a control room of sorts. There was a large computer at the far end with three separate screens mounted on the wall above it. Robin sat on a stool typing away while Batman and a large red android wearing a cape looked on from behind him. As Miss Spruce and I walked up to them Batman turned around to face us.

"Caelyn," he said, sounding angry.

"Um, hi," I replied. He stared at me wordlessly so I continued. "Thanks for saving me off that boat. I'm guessing you—"

"Yes," he growled, completely interrupting me. "But I didn't come here to discuss how the League rescued you."

"Then why are you here?" I asked sharply. Miss Spruce laid a hand on my shoulder but I shrugged it off.

Red Tornado turned around. "You are here, Caelyn Tare because your biological ability to produce flammable complexes and your body's resistance to extreme temperatures make you a dangerous enemy, if you choose to oppose the League. As of right now we do not know what you plan to do and have taken measures to keep you within Mount Justice until you could be consulted," he finished his voice metallic and echoing. "The Batman and I are here to obtain your answer and to relay it back to the League."

"If I choose to stay here what will happen to me?"

"You will be integrated into the team and will begin training to learn to control your powers. Once Black Canary deems your combat skills acceptable you will be sent on missions with the rest of the team. Also you will be able to return to your normal life outside of your commitments to the team," the android replied. "Should your decision not be in favor of joining the team the League will place you into a safe-house under an assumed identity until they have found those who tried to kill you. You will also be placed back on a regiment of suppressant drugs to keep your powers dormant."

"Well," I said slowly, "I guess… I'll just stay here then."

Batman nodded. "Fine. Your agreement to remain here will be conveyed to the League. Robin, show her the files."

"You got it!" the youth replied.

"Hey, aren't you forgetting something?" Wally cried, walking up to the two heroes.

Batman stared at him wordlessly. I was beginning to think that his angry routine was commonplace.

"Aren't you gonna congratulate us on our first mission!" the speedster continued. "Or assign us a new one?"

"You will be given a mission when one that is appropriate arises," Red Tornado intoned as he, I assumed he was a 'he', and Batman walked back to a raised platform at the far end of the room. Their images blurred as the strange metallic whirring began and then they were gone. I shot Miss Spruce a questioning glance.

"A transporter Pet," she said. "Having a door is just too simple, apparently."

Robin turned to face us on the stool. The screens behind him filled with a list of documents.

"Batman wanted me to pull up your father's files for you," he said smugly. "Behind me is all the work on his computer from the past few weeks. The rest of it is encrypted and I haven't been able to crack it. Yet."

I walked up and scanned the list of documents on the center screen.

_KR_WEEK16__

_COMPLX_STNDRD__

_KR_WEEK15__

_GNOM_PCOMP__

_GNOM_IMP_ERROR__

_GNOM_COMPL_FRG__

_KR_WEEK14_PCOMPLEX__

_KR_WEEK13_FUNC__

_GNOM_ERROR__

And so they continued. I pointed to the first _KR_WEEK16_MANIFEST_.

"Open that one, will you," I said.

He clicked it and an extensive text document opened. I skimmed the information and after a few minutes shook my head.

"Out of context like this I can't understand a word of it," I sighed still reading. "Is there any way you could send this to a smaller computer so I can read all the stuff that's not encrypted?"

"Let me work on the encryption code for a little bit longer. I have a feeling I can crack it in the next couple hours. Why don't you go and chill and when I'm done I'll just print everything out," he said.

"Sure," I replied, tearing my gaze away from the screen. It was all very strange. He was writing about the complexes he had synthesized in a subject labeled 'KR'. What it was or what it was for I couldn't glean from the page I had skimmed but I was sure he would have put it somewhere in his documents.

"So, wanna kill some time Cay?" Wally asked, sidling up to me. "There's a marathon of action movies on in twenty minutes."

"Right now Wally, time is not the thing I want to kill," I said as Robin laughed.

He looked at me, confused. "I don't get it…"

I grinned and rolled my eyes, walking away from the computer as Robin started tapping away at the keyboard.

"No really, what's so funny?" Wally demanded trailing after me as I walked out of the room.

Megan greeted us at the doorway, practically bouncing on the spot. "I'm so glad you're going to stay!"

"I am too," I replied, smiling. "It'll be interesting to say the least."

"C'mon! We can go and decorate your room!" she cried, flying off in the direction of the kitchen. "Follow me."

Miss Spruce laughed and walked after her. "Megan, you might have to put that idea on hold dear. I'm just going to retrieve Cay's things from the house."

"Okay! Cay, do you want to watch my cooking show with me? It's on soon!"

"Sounds like fun," I laughed. She was so enthusiastic about everything.

Grinning she floated over to the couch and lightly lowered herself onto the cushions. Wally dove for the remote but it zoomed from beneath his outstretched fingers and into Megan's hand.

"No you don't," she said sternly. "Cay and I are watching my show."

"C'mon Megan," Wally whined. "Those stupid cooking shows are on at every hour of the day. Can't we please watch the action marathon?"

Superboy got up and stalked towards the kitchen as Megan and Wally continued to argue as to what they would watch. "You two are so loud."

"Don't you want to watch the Cooking Channel Supey?" Wally called after him. "No? Oh right, because it's a terrible, _educational_channel with zero exciting content!"

Megan ignored him and turned on the TV. A smiling woman in a flowery apron filled the screen.

"Today," she exclaimed, her voice high pitched, "we will be making Chocolate Chip Madelaines!"

"Oh no," Megan sighed, "it's a repeat of last night's episode."

Wally snatched the remote out of her hand. "Too bad! Bring on the gunfire and explosions!"

He changed the channel back to his testosterone fueled marathon as Megan turned to me.

"What do you want to do now Cay?" she asked, crestfallen.

"I could show you how to cook scones," I offered as her face immediately brightened. "Miss Spruce showed me how to make them when I was little. They're delicious."

"Okay!" She grinned and jumped off the couch. "What do we need?"

"Flour, sugar, butter, cream, baking soda, vanilla extract and eggs."

"C'mon Cay!" Megan cried, pulling me off the couch and towing me past Kaldur who was watching us with a half-smile on his face. "Kaldur would you like to help?"

"Three in the kitchen might be a little crowded but if you would like help," he chuckled, rising from his chair, "then I would be happy to."

"Excellent," I said as Megan dragged out the door. "I hope you're a little more adept than Megan in the kitchen."

"I'm a good cook Cay!" she protested.

"The plate of cookies begs to differ," I pointed out.

Kaldur laughed.


	3. Reconnaissance

I woke up the next day in my new room, a little stiff but no where near as sore as I had been the day before. Megan and I had arranged my stuff the previous night after our scone making session came to a less than satisfactory end. I had left to go to the bathroom, leaving her and Kaldur to watch the pastries and make sure they didn't burn. When I got back the kitchen was filled with smoke and the scones sat on the counter, charred beyond salvation. Megan had apologized profusely as Kal worked diligently to scrape the blackened bits off a scone he held in his hand. I had laughed it off and had set to work making another batch which had turned out far better.

Miss Spruce returned with a suitcase full of my clothes and other necessities so Megan and I had spent the rest of the night organizing my room. The guys stayed in the TV room and did…guy things.

The reality of spending the next however many months within the stronghold of Mount Justice really hadn't sunk in. As I padded out of my room and made my way to the kitchen I wondered what the League expected me to do. Did they think I was going to be some sort of super hero? The thought made me laugh.

I trudged through the door of the kitchen when a red file folder sitting on the counter caught my eye. I scooped it up. Scrawled on the front was a note from Robin:

'_The other files have a separate encryption code. I should have them for you by the end of the week. Hope it helps._'

I grabbed an apple off the counter and continued into the TV room. I fell onto one of the couches and opened the file folder. I didn't know why Batman had given them to me but I wasn't complaining. Hopefully there would be some useful information about my powers.

There were about fifteen documents in total and as I began reading them I realized they were a form of log detailing the project given the name [Kr]. I sighed and began reading the first document. It was written almost half a year before my father's death. I placed the rest of the papers on the coffee table in front of me.

_Project [Kr] : Week 1_

_ D1 - Genetic code successfully reproduced within blank specimen. Cell growth rate accelerated by 75x_

_ D2 - Cell growth rate accelerated by 75x. Specimen has been successfully integrated with pseudo-placenta._

I took a bite of my apple and continued to scan the log of my father's work. He went on to describe the integration of proteins he had designed to work specifically with the code of whatever they were duplicating. Nothing interesting really but engrossing enough that I didn't notice Megan glide into the room until she was lowering herself into the chair across from me.

"Morning Cay!" She crowed, making me jump causing my papers to scatter left and right. "Oops, sorry."

I grinned. "Don't worry about it," I said, bending down and scooping them off the floor.

"What have you been able to learn from your father's work?"

"Not a whole lot," I shrugged. "Everything that Robin was able to get off the hard drive was about his most recent project. Something called [Kr]."

Megan frowned. "He worked at Cadmus, right?"

"Yeah."

"May I see that?" She asked, indicating for me to pass her the papers.

"Sure." I slid the papers across the coffee table.

Scooping them up Megan began scanning through them. I continued eating my apple when the metallic voice announced the arrival of Robin. I craned my neck around as he came barreling through the door.

"Cay!" He cried, catching sight of me on the couch.

I waved, my mouth full of partially chewed apple.

He strode over and sat next to me, adjusting his sunglasses. "I have something to show you."

I swallowed. "Is it off my father's computer?"

"Yes," he said seriously. "I cracked the encryption on one of his really big files. It was full of advanced molecular structures and then I found this."

He held up his arm, which was outfitted with a computer of some sort, and a projection appeared in the air in front of my face. There was a diagram of the set up of some sort of human sized test tube. Robin pressed something on the wrist set-up and the screen changed.

This time it was an image of a guy. There were protein complexes my father took credit for off to the left but those weren't what caught my attention. The heading read, "Finalized Structures of [Kr]". Below that was a small blurb.

_Genetic code from primary body, Superman, successfully incorporated within genetic structure of [Kr]. All systems fully functioning and ready for deployment._

"He worked on Superboy?" Megan exclaimed. "Cay, did you know-"

"My father and I never spoke," I replied, cutting her off. "And I doubt he would have told me he was trying to clone Superman even if we were on speaking terms."

Robin sat stoically. "Well, now we know why his files are so encrypted."

Megan placed the papers back on the table. The three of us sat in silence.

"Is this why Batman told you to give me my father's computer files?" I asked suddenly.

"No. I don't know if the League knows about his involvement with Superboy," Robin admitted. "Miss Spruce requested you be given all your father's documents. That's why Batman had me start accessing them."

"When I was on that boat… the woman, Tess, said my father had tried to 'atone' for what he had done," I said slowly. "I think that she was talking about Superboy."

"You think that the people who tried to kill you are involved with Cadmus?" Megan asked.

I nodded. "Definitely and I'm pretty sure they killed my father and covered up his death in the fire at their facility."

Robin looked like he was going to say something but he was interrupted by the announcement of Miss Spruce and Kid Flash's arrival.

"Hey Sprucey!" Wally's voice carried from the other room, as did the resounding smack that promptly followed it.

"Mr. West I told you if you continued down that path you would be in for it!" Miss Spruce cried.

"You hit me!" Wally yelped as he stumbled through the door. Catching sight of Robin, Megan and I, he pointed accusingly towards Miss Spruce who walked in behind him. "She hit me!"

"She gave you fair warning Wally," I said, grinning.

"That I did, Pet," Miss Spruce said. "Ah, I see you've been given your father's research."

My grin faded and I nodded. "Robin's given me all that he could get."

She nodded. "Well that's good. Hopefully you can learn something from it. I've got something for you, Pet," she said, holding out a package that was wrapped in brown paper.

I pulled away the wrapping and a bright red and black suit of stretchy material slid out into my hands.

"Really?" I said, not trying to hide my distaste as I looked up at her. "Where did you get this?"

Miss Spruce fixed me with a hard stare. "This was made for you by a friend of your father's," she said. "It's completely fire proof so you can fight and use your powers without worrying your clothes will catch fire. Why don't you try it on before you turn your nose up at it?"

"Maybe later…"

"No," she said shortly. "You need to do it now." She pointed to the door. "Go. I expect you back in five minutes."

"You are such a pain Miss Spruce," I grumbled, heaving myself up from the couch. "I'm going to look like an idiot."

"I think red will go with your hair Cay!" Megan exclaimed. "It's such a nice shade of... uh…"

"Muddy blonde?" I suggested sullenly.

Megan shook her head. "I was thinking more of a wonderful shade of earthy gold!"

"And you won't look like an idiot," Robin added. "We all have suits."

"Yeah, some of us just look better than others," Wally grinned, gesturing to himself.

I sighed and made my way back to my room through the kitchen. I passed Superboy who pointedly ignored me and walked into the TV room. I rolled my eyes and sauntered down the hall towards my room. Once inside I threw the suit on my bed and peeled myself out of my sweatpants and T-shirt. Picking up the red spandex atrocity I pulled it up around my legs and slid my arms into the sleeves. The zipper did up smoothly and I turned to look at myself in the mirror.

I looked ridiculous. It was a one piece, bright red, spandex disaster. Not my style at all. I walked out of my room and began to jog back down to the TV room as I heard to metallic voice announce the arrival of Batman and Red Tornado.

I came through the doorway as Robin and Megan disappeared into the command room. Miss Spruce was hovering around the couches and as she saw me bustled over with a smile on her face.

"Pet, you look wonderful," she gushed. "I knew you would. Here, I have these for you as well." She handed me a black belt which I buckled around my waist.

I looked at her as she stared into space, a far-off look in her eyes.

"Miss Spruce," I said. "What's up with you today?"

Her eyes cleared and she looked at me sadly. "Pet, I have to go away for a while."

I stared at her wordlessly for a moment.

"Where?" I asked quietly.

"If I knew, I would tell you," she said, taking my hands in hers. "I just wanted to make sure you were settled here." She looked towards the door to the control room. "And now that you are... You don't need me."

I frowned. "Miss Spruce-"

"Now, Batman is ready to give the team a mission," she said, cutting me off. "You should really go and see what's going on."

"Miss-"

"And I have this for you Pet."

She placed a black box in my hands and ushered me into the command room before I could say another word.

Batman and Red Tornado were standing next to the monstrous computer screens at the far end of the room. Everyone was there, even Kal who must have arrived some time after I left to put my suit on. They all turned as Batman's gaze rested on me.

"How nice of you to join us," he grumbled. "As I was saying, this is a covert mission. Observe and report. If the Justice League needs to intervene we will. The plan requires two drop zones."

The computer screen showed an island with two points, A and B, highlighted in red. I was a already confused. Was I supposed to go with the team?

"So who's in charge?" Asked Robin, interrupting my chain of thought.

Batman and Red Tornado looked at each other.

"Work that out among yourselves," Batman intoned looking to me. "Nice suit."

There was something slightly mocking in his tone and my face flushed. "Thanks."

Turning back to the computer he crossed his arms. "You will accompany the team on this mission."

"That seems like a really bad idea," I said.

"First-hand experience is the most effective way to become accustom with your new lifestyle," Red Tornado supplied.

"Yeah, but-"

Batman cut me off with a withering glare as he walked towards the transporter. "Observe and report, Caelyn. If you want to be part of this team, step up."

"I really don't like him," I hissed as he and Red Tornado disappeared in the bright beam of light.

"He's not so bad," Robin said, shrugging, "and he has a point. It's just a bit of recon. You'll be fine."

"And you'll be with the whole team, Cay," Kaldur added.

I grinned. "Well it sure would be a shame to not put my fancy new suit to waste. It's unfortunate I don't have it in a colour that's a little less… Well, you know."

"I'm sure we can fix that," Megan said. "It's organic right? C'mon, I'll show you the bioship and then we'll fix your suit!"

"Okay." I wondered just how she was going to do that as we made our way to the door.

Miss Spruce was standing beside the couches and came up to us as we stopped in the doorway.

"Alright Pet," she said, hugging me fiercely. "You be careful. I'll try and be here by the time you get back."

"Where are you going?" I asked again.

"Well, first I'm going to Prague. Then Milan. If that fails I'm going to Paris," she replied walking past us.

"Why are you going to Prague?"

She paused. "Secret, Pet." And with that she marched into the transporter and disappeared in a flash of light.

"What's that?" Megan asked, pointing to the box in my hands as I tried to figure out why Miss Spruce was going to Milan, Prague and Paris. Did it have something to do with my father?

"Not sure," I replied absently. "Miss Spruce gave it to me."

"Are you going to open it?"

I slid my fingers under the lid and did just that. Nestled in the white tissue paper within was a black mask fashioned in a simple, elegant style. I lifted it out and turned it over in my hands. It was a lightweight, solid material.

"Cool!" Exclaimed Megan. "Try it on!"

"I guess you don't have to worry about a mask do you Megan," I said, slipping the ear pieces over my ears and securing the mask in place. "How do I look?"

"It looks great! What is the suit made out of?" She asked, placing her hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged. "No idea."

"May I try something?"

"Sure."

She squeezed my shoulder; the fabric of my suit shimmered and then turned black. I stared down in amazement.

"That has to be the coolest thing I've seen you do," I laughed, looking at my arms incredulously. "Thanks!"

She grinned. "It's nothing really. I can manipulate anything organic." Her clothes shifted into a new outfit equipped with a cape. "See?"

"Wicked," I grinned. "What now?"

She pointed over my shoulder as Robin, Superboy, Kal, and Wally walked in - all of them were wearing their combat suits, save for Superboy who apparently never changed what he was wearing.

"Ah, time to go," I sighed.

"The mission is simple Cay," Kaldur assured me. "The League would not place you in danger."

"They're sending me to a remote island that is occupied by possibly dangerous drug dealers," I said bluntly. "My lack of ability to protect myself begs to differ."

"You don't need to be able to protect yourself Cay," Wally grinned, sidling up to me as Megan 'woke up' the bioship and a door appeared on its hull. "You've got me."

"I feel so much better." I rolled my eyes and fell into step behind Kaldur as we all boarded the ship.

The flight to Santa Prisca was tense. I fidgeted in the chair that Megan had raised out of the bioship floor as we soared over the ocean.

"Cay, you don't have to worry." Kaldur had turned slightly in his seat and was looking at me. "We will be in and out without anyone having noticed our presence."

"Exactly!" Robin agreed. "And hey, maybe you can even show us your powers."

"Once I figure out how they work I will definitely give you a demonstration," I replied, smiling despite the flip-flops my stomach was performing.

"Drop zone A in thirty," Megan said, glancing at Kaldur.

"Ready," he replied, standing up and pressing the buckle of his belt. His shirt changed from red to black as his chair dissolved into the floor of the ship.

"Putting bioship in camouflage mode," Megan informed us as we dipped closer towards the ocean.

The floor dissolved in front of Kaldur and he elegantly leapt towards the dark waters below us. The hole reformed as quickly as it had appeared and we sat in silence.

"We should be on top of Drop Zone B in forty," Robin said tossing me a small electronic device. "You'll need this."

"What is it?"

"An earpiece for communication," he replied. "It helps us stay connected."

I nodded and slipped it into my ear.

"Press the button on the outside and say whatever you want all of us to hear."

Immediately Kaldur's voice sounded in my ear. "Heat and motion sensors are patched. Data's now on a continuous loop. Move in."

The bioship slid smoothly to a halt.

"Drop Zone B," Megan announced.

We all stood as cords descended from the ceiling. Wally secured the chord to his waist and pressed the symbol on his chest causing his suit changed from yellow to black.

"How cool is this?" He asked, turning to Megan and I.

"Very impressive," Megan replied as I attached the chord to the belt Miss Spruce had given me. Megan closed her eyes as her outfit morphed to a black one-piece suit.

"Oh she's got you beat Wally," I said.

"She certainly does." He grinned and turned to Superboy. "Hey Supey, not too late to put on the new stealth tech."

"No capes. No tights," Superboy replied evenly, crossing his arms. "No offence."

"I thought we had to wear suits," I groaned. "Are you telling me I could have just worn jeans and a t-shirt?"

"Cay the suit completes the look," Robin laughed.

"And you look great in that suit," Wally supplied.

"The outfit totally works for you," Megan said, looking dreamily at Superboy. "In that you can totally do good work in those clothes." She finished quickly, giving him a thumbs up before pulling her hood up and vanishing from sight. I hid a grin as Superboy stared at where Megan had been.

The floor opened beneath us as the cord tightened around my waist. Megan's faint image hovered for a moment and then we began to descend. I landed lightly as Megan, Robin and Wally reappeared around me. I unclipped my cord as Robin grabbed my arm and pulled me unceremoniously into the forest as Superboy landed where we had all been standing.

As the dust cleared and I pulled myself off the forest floor Superboy stood up and smirked.

"Knew I didn't need a line," he said.

"And yet creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the covert," Robin said angrily.

"In any other circumstance Superboy that would have been totally awesome," I groaned, my side pulsing painfully. Apparently my injuries weren't completely healed.

"Are you alright Cay?" Megan asked.

I nodded. "Recon right? I'll be fine."

"Aqualad," she said, pressing her earpiece. "Drop B is go."

"Head for the factory," his voice sounded in my ear again. "I'll track your GPS and rendezvous ASAP."

Robin pulled up a map on his wrist device and we all gathered around. The factory was to the North.

"Roger that," he said, the image disappearing as he bolted off into the darkness.

If there's one thing I hate more than the prospect of encountering drug dealing crazy people, it's running. Especially running cross country. Gym class had forever ruined it for me. Megan glided after Robin as Wally and Superboy kept pace behind them. Somehow I managed to keep up and not fall on my face. The roots and rocks were brutal. Thankfully after fifteen minutes of Robin's relentless pace we reached a steep path behind a waterfall. Everyone slowed and I paused to catch my breath.

Wally looked back and grinned. "You tired Cay?"

"Shut up Wally," I panted. "You have had way more practice at this than I have."

Megan drifted down and stood next to me. "Robin can we take a break?"

He looked up absentmindedly from the screen on his wrist.

"Yeah, sure," he replied, advancing forward at a walk.

We made our way back into the forest with Robin leading the procession. Suddenly Superboy stopped.

"Did you hear that?" He asked.

"Uh, no," Wally replied. "Wait. Is this a super-hearing thing?"

"You do have great ears," Megan supplied.

"What was it?" I asked as Megan blushed furiously.

Superboy ignored me as Wally turned to Robin.

"Okay Rob, now what?"

There was no response. Robin was gone.

"Man I hate it when he does that," Wally complained.

"He does this often?" I asked, looking to Megan. She shrugged.

Kaldur's voice sounded through the ear piece again. "Kid, Superboy, switch to infrared. See if you're being tracked."

Wally nodded and pulled down his goggles. Superboy just stared off into the darkness. I stood awkwardly with Megan feeling relatively useless.

"Got a squad of armed bozos, incoming," Wally informed us.

"Two squads," Superboy corrected, moving farther down the path. "But they'll meet each other before they find us."

Gunfire sounded, making me jump.

"No super-hearing required now." Wally stood up.

"Swing wide, steer clear!" Kal's voice resounded insistently in the ear piece.

"Yeah, as soon as I find Rob," Wally said.

I tried to grab the back of his suit but missed as he disappeared in the direction of the gunfire.

"This isn't going to end well," I hissed taking off down the path after Wally. "Come on."

Megan and Superboy followed close behind me. Unfortunately we were too late to stop Wally. He caught his foot on a rock and fell headlong through the brush into the gunfight. The gunfire paused as we burst through the trees after him. The two factions were staring at Wally. Directly in front of him was a bull of a man wearing a wrestler's mask.

"So much for the stealthy," Wally murmured.

Then the whole scene erupted into chaos. The wrestler and his goons started firing at Wally as I leapt for cover back through the brush we had come through. Superboy charged two of the wrestler's group and knocked them back while Megan picked two others up with her telepathy and flung them into the forest. Wally sped out of the line of fire of both groups as Superboy turned his attention to the guy in the wrestling mask. I stumbled back and looked down at my hands. My father had said I would be able to control the excretion of the proteins within 24 hours. I took a deep breath and waited for something to happen. Nothing. Wally zoomed past me, taking out a man wearing a mask and a red cloak.

"Keep your eyes open!" He shouted, racing off to help Megan who was engaged with three rough looking men.

Rattled, I took another step back. How was I supposed to do this? No training, no instructions from my useless father, no idea of how to do anything useful. Then I felt something in my brain shift. It was a conscious decision. All I had to do was **make** it happen. I willed the process to start and after a moment a clear gelatinous substance began to collect on my hands.

"Meg-" I stopped myself and used her superhero alias, "Miss Martian! I need a heat source!"

"Can't help you!" She called back, dropping two men from a considerable height.

I looked about frantically. There was nothing that could provide me with a flame or heat to ignite the gel.

"Cay! Heads!" Robin had joined the fray. "What is wrong with you guys? Remember covert? Why didn't you follow my lead and vanish into the jungle?"

Wally finished off the brute he was fighting and turned angrily. "So that's what you were doing? Way to fill us in. We're not mind readers!"

One of the red cloaked men streaked past Robin. He made it as far as the path before he was intercepted by Kaldur. Electricity coursed down the arm he placed on the man's chest and within a few moments he fell to the floor, unconscious. I grinned.

"Kal! Light me up!"

He looked at me in confusion. "What?"

"I need a spark!" I held out my hands. "Care to share?"

He nodded and the electricity arced through the air and into my outstretched hands. In a split-second my hands and forearms were engulfed in flames. After a moment they sputtered as I focused on controlling the output of the gel. It burned relatively fast and I decided the key was matching my output to its consumption.

Kal looked shocked. "You're on fire."

"Apparently that's what I do," I replied, holding my hands out in front of me and turning towards where the others were fighting. "Come on."

"Be careful," he reminded, as we began to advance.

The first goon was so shocked when he saw me he didn't even put up a fight. I balled my right hand into a fist and punched him in the face. He fell to the forest floor with a bloody nose.

"Nice going Cay! You're burning up!" Wally crowed, tripping up two of the red cloaked men as they tried to escape.

My second opponent was more of a problem. The sleeves of my suit didn't inhibit the proteins and I let the flames spread up my arms until they reached my shoulders. He raised his gun, shouting something in Spanish and I jumped aside. The bullets buried themselves in the ground where I had been standing. Where I landed I grabbed a piece of wood, smeared it with the flaming gel and chucked it towards him. Distracted by the flaming projectile I was able to rush him and kick his feet out from under him. He fell to the ground, dazed, as I looked around.

The two groups lay scattered about the clearing. Robin was angrily tying up those closest to him with rope he produced from his utility belt.

I looked at my hands and stopped the output of the gel. The flames sputtered and died as I walked up to Megan and Kal.

"Cay! You did it!" Megan exclaimed.

"Yeah, well I had some help," I replied. "Thanks Kal."

He nodded. "I would be hesitant to try it again."

"Why?" Wally asked, sauntering up to us. "It worked pretty well, Cay was smokin'." He winked.

"The current really should have electrocuted me..." I mused. "Then why didn't it?"

"Well, I guess your goo could have acted like an insulator," Wally supplied. "That way the heat from Kal's electricity would have ignited it without the current killing you."

"Well thank you Kid Flash the Scientist!" I laughed. "When did you get so smart?"

"Hey, I'm not just a pretty face Cay!"

Robin was watching the red cloaked figures he had tied to the tree. "I recognize those uniforms. They belong to the cult of the Kobra."

"I am certain Batman would have been hesitant to send us here with Cay if he knew a dangerous extremist group was running Santa Prisca's venom operation," Kal said.

"Agreed. But since there's obviously no love lost between the cultists and those goons I'm guessing Kobra came in and tossed them out! That's why normal supply lines have been cut off."

"Why would Kobra want to control the export of venom?" I asked. "Despite the obvious pun that he's called Kobra and would be selling Venom." No one laughed. "Did no one get it or was it not funny?"

Superboy looked at me, the sides of his mouth turning up just a bit. "The latter."

"Oh."

"So Kobra wanted Super Cultists," Wally said. "Mystery solved. Radio Bats and we can be home in time for-"

"The cultists aren't **on** Venom," Robin interrupted. "Kobra's hoarding the stuff! We don't leave. Not until I know why."

"I think that's a terrible idea," I put in. All eyes turned to me. "We were sent here on a recon mission. We've already done enough damage as it is." I motioned to the goons tied to the trees. "Wally's right, as much as I hate to say it; we should radio Batman and get out of here. Our job is done."

"Yeah!" Wally said, stalking up to Robin. "And what's with this, until _you_ know why?"

"This team needs a leader!"

"Oh and it should be you? Dude, you're a thirteen year old kid who ducked out on us without a word!"

I stepped between them. "Guys, arguing about this isn't going to solve anything."

Robin glared at Wally over my shoulder. "Oh and you're a mature fifteen? You blew our cover first chance you got!"

"You don't even have superpowers!" Wally cried, sidestepping around me and jabbing a finger in Robin's chest.

My patience was waning. "Neither do I, Wally. Now would you two give it a rest?"

"Batman doesn't have powers!" Robin replied angrily.

"Well you aren't Batman." Wally crossed his arms.

"Closest thing we got."

"Enough! We know that Kobra is running things and that he's hoarding Venom. Radio Batman and let's get out of here before the rest of his guards realize their patrol hasn't returned!" I cried as the wrestler began to laugh.

"Such clever little niños, but you only know half the story," he chuckled. "Let me show you the rest - get you into the factory via my secret entrance."

Megan knelt down on the ground in front of him. She closed her eyes. "There is a secret entrance, but he's hiding something."

"Ah, ah, ah, Bane is not that easy to read," he grinned, his dark eyes sparkling maliciously.

"Ugh, he's reciting football scores and español," Megan sighed. "This could take a while."

"It's not that complicated," he said. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Kaldur nodded slightly and Robin knelt down to untie the ropes restraining Bane.

"Woah, guys, bad idea," I exclaimed. "He's obviously got a second agenda and you believe that he's going to just lead us to the factory without stabbing us in the back?"

"We need a way into the factory," Robin said impatiently.

"A factory we aren't even supposed to infiltrate," I reminded.

He knelt down and severed Bane's restraints. "Sometimes plans changed."

Bane stood up and rubbed his arms where the ropes had made impressions in his skin.

"This way niños ," he smirked.

Robin shot me a final angry glance before turning and following the man. Megan looked at me worriedly as I turned and stomped after them. I just knew this was going to turn out badly. Kal fell into step beside me.

"It's a trap," I said angrily, "and we're walking right into it."

"What does he have to gain by betraying us," Kaldur asked.

I sighed. "I don't know. But there's no way he would help us unless there was something in it for him."

We had been walking for almost an hour before Bane stopped on a cliff that gave us a view of the entire factory. Robin whipped out a pair of binoculars.

"Look at all that product," he exclaimed adjusting a knob on the top of the binoculars. "There's definitely a buy going down. But if Kobra's not selling to the usual suspects..."

"Then he's found a new buyer," I supplied in a quiet voice.

"We need to find out who that buyer is," Kal said.

"Just what I was thinking," Wally agreed.

"Oh yeah, you're the thinker," Robin scoffed.

"Stuff it Robin," I hissed. It was stressful enough being on this island. None of us needed Wally and Robin constantly bickering. "You want to be leader then grow up."

Bane approached the wall of rock behind us and casually moved a large boulder from where it lay. It revealed a tunnel that led into the cliff face.

"Answers are this way," he murmured, walking into the darkness.

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered following Robin and Wally into the tunnel. "Might I reiterate, this is screaming bad idea."

The tunnel was poorly lit and I kept catching my toes on jutting rocks in the floor. Frustrated I let the gel seep through my skin and coat my hands. I turned to Kal.

"If I trip one more time I'm going to lose it," I said. "Can you please help me out?"

I held out my hands.

"Of course," he chuckled.

He let the electricity flow briefly down his arms and again it arced through the air and my hands went up in flames. With the tunnel illuminated I grinned.

"Thanks."

He smiled and I felt my cheeks flush. I turned away only to notice Bane staring at me.

"Impressive chicka." He winked.

I scowled at him. "Keep walking."

Wally walked up behind me. "Is it hot in here or is it just you?"

I rolled my eyes, not bothering to respond, as we continued down the tunnel. Megan fell into step beside me and smiled.

"I'm glad you've figured out how to use your powers," she said.

"Well, I have a feeling there's a lot more to learn," I replied. "But thanks. I'm glad too."

Bane stopped in front of a large metal door and pressed his thumb into fingerprint scanner. The door slid open soundlessly revealing the inside of a room filled with lockers. Robin slid past him and opened the door.

"All clear," he said, slipping out into the darkened factory.

Wally followed close behind, then Superboy, Megan and Kaldur. Bane and I brought up the rear. I cast a sidelong glance in his direction as I let the flames on my hands recede. This time I didn't let them go out completely I merely limited the release of gel on all surfaces but my finger tips. Bane caught my eye and grinned.

"You don't trust me chicka?" He asked. "Why not? What could I possibly do to you?"

I made a disgusted grunt and quickened my pace to join the rest of the group. Robin had disappeared. Bane looked around with little interest.

"Has the little fool been caught already?"

"No," Kal replied with a hint of exasperation, "he just does that."

Wally pulled down his goggles. "Stay put! I'll gather intel and be back before the Boy Wonder!"

He raced off as Kal reached out to stop him. "Kid, wait!"

"Great chain of command," Bane commented, voice dripping with sarcasm.

I ignored him and turned to Megan. "What now?"

She shrugged. "We can't just stand around. We'll surely be seen."

I was about to agree when four of the red robed cultists emerged from behind one of the monstrous tanks wheeling a cart piled with crates. We all ducked behind a stack of wooden shipping crates as the procession moved towards a large door that led onto a helicopter pad.

"It's a massive shipment," Kal said, his voice low.

"But they're only taking crates from the opposite end of the warehouse," I pointed out. "What's wrong with this stuff?"

"They're only taking new product off the line," Superboy said, motioning to a conveyor belt that was periodically transporting crates to a waiting trolley.

"Maybe freshness counts," supplied Megan.

"For some reason I don't think that's it," I replied.

Superboy looked to the door. "A helicopter's coming."

Moments later the sound of the rotors of a helicopter became audible. I turned to Megan.

"Could you stay invisible and find out who's coming in on the helicopter?" I asked. "I'd bet that it's Kobra's buyer."

She nodded. "Can do!" Pulling her hood up, she disappeared.

I turned to Kal and Superboy. "Alright, now what? We're short the Boy Wonder and Motor Mouth. Who knows when they'll be back. We need a plan to get out of here without getting killed."

Kal nodded. "We'll wait for Miss Martian to discover who are mystery buyer is. For now we need to get somewhere with more cover. We're too exposed."

Superboy pointed above us to a catwalk. Kaldur nodded silently and we quietly made our way from behind the crates to a metal ladder leading up into the scaffolding of the warehouse. Within moments all of us, including Bane, were standing looking down on the steady procession of Kobra's goons filing out of the warehouse pushing crates of Venom.

_Cay! Aqualad! _A voice that sounded vaguely like Megan resounded through my head. _Sending you a telepathic image of the buyer now!_

In my mind's eye an image of a blonde man in a hockey mask formed. I had no idea who he was but Kal inhaled sharply.

"Sportsmaster! He's the buyer?" He hand went to the comm-link in his ear. "Aqualad to Red Tornado, do you read?" He paused and repeatedly pressed the button. "I can't reach the League, Robin, or Kid. Comm's jammed. We need a plan."

"We're bound to be noticed sooner or later and we now know who the buyer is," I said. "From that the League should be able to track this Sportsmaster down. Let's find Robin and Kid Flash and get our butts back to the bioship."

Bane grinned as he leaned over the side of the catwalk. "I've got a better idea."

He swung himself over the railing and plummeted to the concrete below, landing smack-dab in the middle of a group of armed guards. They began firing wildly at their unseen attacker.

"What is he-" Kaldur began but was interrupted as a giant, hairy monster came crashing through the window behind us.

I stumbled out of its way and into Kaldur as it crashed through the catwalk, severing the support structures, sending us careening towards the pavement. Superboy landed gracefully on his feet while Kal and I landed in a tangled heap of arms and legs.

"Sorry," I muttered rolling free and getting to my feet.

He nodded slightly and did the same.

Against all odds the flames on my fingertips hadn't gone out. I let the fire spread up my arms, halting it at my shoulders again as the brute in front of us roared a challenge. Behind him appeared a pale man in a cloak more elaborate than the others, a girl with orange hair on half of her head, and Sportsmaster. From behind them a fourth figure emerged. My heart jumped into my throat. Tess. She caught my eye and grinned.

"Destroy them!" The pale man I assumed to be Kobra hissed.

Superboy charged the monster in front of us as the red robed cultists ran forward, guns at the ready. Kaldur produced two black hilts as his tattoos began to glow. Water swept down his arms and morphed into a sword blade on each hilt. As the goons began firing I slid behind a holding tank.

Tess's appearance had thrown me. I peeked out from behind my hiding place. She was still standing behind the tall pale man her face an emotionless mask as she watched the fight. Kal's swords had dissolved into a shield, deflecting the bullets of Kobra's men, and he used the hilt in his left hand to fire small bolts of water at his opponents. Feeling a little left out I looked to my left and saw Bane slipping out of the warehouse through the door we had come through. He was laughing to himself. I contemplated going after him until Sportsmaster threw a javelin into the air and nearly impaled Megan who had been hovering unseen above them. She managed to dodge the projectile but it exploded as it tore the material of her cape. The explosion sent her careening back into another holding tank.

Sportsmaster began to advance to where she had fallen, Tess following close behind an amused smile playing at her lips. I sprinted from one tank to the next, narrowly avoiding a barrage of bullets from one of the many armed cultists. I reached Megan before the two villains and helped her to her feet, being careful to make sure I halted the excretion process before contact.

"You alright?" I asked, reigniting my right arm with my still burning left.

"Yeah," she nodded, rubbing the back of her head.

"Let's get out of here."

We retreated the way I had come as Tess and Sportsmaster came around the holding tanks. I reignited my right arm with my still burning left as Tess tried to pursue us but was blocked by three men Wally knocked off one of the still suspended catwalks.

"Miss Martian radio is jammed, link us up!" Kaldur called as he stepped behind one of the tanks and out of the line of fire.

Megan nodded and her voice sounded in my head. _Everyone online?_

_ Yeah._ Superboy replied begrudgingly.

_You know it beautiful_. Wally's voice resounded clearly in my head.

_Wally, this is neither the time nor the place to flirt with Megan_. I chastized. _Save it_.

_Then -_

_We need to regroup_. Kal's voice cut through Wally's half-formed retort.

_Busy now._ Robin said impatiently.

_With what? _My mental connection really could not convey the impatience I felt.

_Robin! _Kal boomed. _Now!_

I was almost so distracted by the new mental connection the I didn't notice Tess approaching me from the left with her gun raised. I dropped to the ground as she fired at where I had been standing, her face contorting with rage when she realized she had missed. I reached out and brushed my hand across the hem of her pants the flames leaping up the fabric. She jumped back.

"You demon!" She shrieked, reaching down and frantically trying to beat out the flames. "These pants are designer!"

"Stop, drop and roll," I said, jumping to my feet as she dropped the gun and used both hands to extinguish the flames.

She looked up from her burnt pants, hatred etched into every line on her face. Looking to where the gun was lying a few feet away she grinned.

"Don't think I need a gun to kill you Cay," she informed me, taking a step forward.

I held my ground and fixed her with a cold stare. "What are you going to use?" I asked. "Your bare hands?"

"With all the flaws in your genome there are a multitude of deleterious elements I could expose you to that would cause a total shutdown of all your systems. Or I could expose you to one of the many lethal viruses and diseases my associates keep in their labs," she smiled, apparently amused by the fact.

With speed I would never have thought her capable of she dove for the gun. It was closer to me than she thought though and I kicked it out of her reach as she landed on her knees in front of me. She stared up at me, anger in her eyes.

"I will kill you," she hissed.

"No," I said kneeing her in the face and letting her unconscious frame sink to the floor. "You won't. Not today."

_We need to regroup. Kid, clear a path. _Kal's voice interrupted my thoughts. _Cay, where are you?_

_I'm behind the storage tanks by the locker room._ I responded silently._ Where we came in_.

_Stay put. We will rendezvous with you there. _

I looked down at Tess. The gun lay only a few feet away. The flames on my arms dissipated and I reached down to pick it up. I halted my fingers a few inches from the barrel. Straightening up I left it lying where it was. Tess knew things about me that I would never be able to learn from anyone else. I decided that once I had learned all I could from her, then I would get revenge for what she and her crazy associate tried to do to me.

Wally came tearing around the corner and halted. He was quickly joined by Kal, Robin, Megan and Superboy.

"Who's that?" Robin asked, motioning to Tess.

"No one," I said quickly. "Just an associate of Kobra."

There was an inhuman roar of anguish from the route the rest of the team had just taken.

"I don't like the sound of that," I groaned.

"Let's go," Robin said, disappearing into the locker room and out Bane's secret entrance. We all crowded into the tunnel as Superboy slammed the door behind us. I followed Megan as we tore down the uneven passageway, the fires on my arms receding back to my fingertips. We hadn't gone more than 10 steps when Kobra's monster smashed through the door. The cultists followed close behind and their gunfire peppered the walls as we retreated.

"Superboy!" Kal shouted over his shoulder. "The support beams!"

Quick to comply Superboy effortlessly knocked the wooden posts holding the ceiling up from their positions. Rock and rubble tumbled down, halting our pursuers but nearly crushing us in the process. Megan pulled Superboy to safety as the rest of us jumped, or in my case tripped, out of the way. As the last of the pebbles fell into place and the dust cleared I allowed my arms to reignite, lighting the dark passage.

"How could my first mission as leader go so wrong?" Robin muttered, cracking a red glow stick.

"You are the most experience but perhaps that is what has left you unprepared," said Kal.

"I'm sure it's different when you fight with Batman," I added. "But this team needs communication. Without it we're dead in the water."

"You cannot expect the rest of us to simply play parts in some unknown plan," he finished.

"So what, you want me to hold everyone's hand?" Robin retorted angrily turning to face the rest of us.

"That's not it at all," I said, trying to stay calm. "To be effective as a team we need to work in tandem. If you want to lead you need to be able to solve problems to the best of each of our abilities."

Robin sighed. "Who am I kidding," his gaze rested on Kal. "You should lead us Kaldur. You're the only one who can."

"Please," Wally scoffed, crossing his arms. "I could run circles-"

"Wally, please shut up," I said.

Robin grinned. "I know you're the one Kal. We all do."

"Hello Megan! It's so obvious," Megan exclaimed.

Superboy nodded. "Could have told ya."

Kal's eyes flicked to me and I smiled. "The new girl generally doesn't have a say in electing team leader."

"But if she did?" He asked.

"Then she would be all for it."

He smiled slightly as all eyes turned to Wally who shrugged. "Okay."

"Then I accept the burden," Kal said, walking up to Robin and placing his hands on the other boy's shoulders, "until you are ready to lift it from my shoulders. You were born to lead this team, maybe not now, but soon."

Robin nodded and Kal turned back towards the group, all business.

"Alright our first priority is to prevent this shipment from leaving the island," he said.

"Funny," Robin chuckled, "I had the same thought."

"The helicopter Sportsmaster arrived in will be what is transporting the Venom from the island," Kal said. "We have to prevent it from getting into the air. Then the problem becomes Kobra."

"And his angry, brown friend," I added.

"I'll handle him," Superboy said quietly.

And then Kal outlined the plan.

I didn't like the plan. The plan just seemed like a really elaborate way of getting killed. We all ran down the tunnel, the outline of the entrance slowly coming into view.

"Sportsmaster is the buyer and supplier but it still doesn't add up," Robin said, the screen at his wrist casting blue light on his face. "He doesn't have the juice to acquire the Blockbuster formula or to get Kobra to do his dirty work."

"The woman who was with them was the one of the people who tried to kill me," I said haltingly, the pace was making me short of breath. "She's involved with something called 'The Light'. I'd bet that's how they got their paws on the Blockbuster formula."

"Is she a scientist? Because combining the two would have taken major nerdage," Wally said. "Neither Kobra or Sportsmaster have the smarts."

"I don't know who she is," I replied. "All I know is her name is Tess. Robin didn't you say the League was looking into their identities?"

He nodded. "Batman was looking into it, but he hasn't found any dirt on either of them."

"Halt niños," A familiar voice chuckled as we emerged from the tunnel. "I'm feeling... explosive."

Bane stood on the opposite side of the clearing, a detonator switch in his hand. I looked up, charges had been placed on all the support beams. I nudged Kal who followed my gaze upwards, shock registering on his face.

"Wow," I said. "I am so shocked by this turn of events."

"You should have listened to the chicka," Bane laughed.

"You betray us?" Asked Kaldur incredulously. "Why?"

"He's a villain," I said bluntly.

Bane laughed again. "There is that. And I want my factory back niños. So I forced you into a situation where you would either defeat my enemies or die trying."

"And what would us dying accomplish?" Megan asked haughtily.

"The League would have come in and dealt with Kobra," I snorted. "You sneaky-"

He cut me off and toyed with the detonator. "Careful what you say to the man holding your life in his hands," he chuckled. "But that's right chicka. The Justice League would have come to avenge their fallen sidekicks and when the smoke cleared... Santa Prisca would be mine once more. However, blowing the tunnel with you inside should have the same effect."

Bane raised his hand to press the trigger as Wally vanished. Bane's grin vanished when he realized the detonator had disappeared from his grip.

"Huh, is that what this trigger thingy is for?" Wally asked from behind the masked man. "Cool!"

Turning to grab Wally, Bane found himself suspended in the air. Megan raised her hands and he rose higher.

"Finally," Superboy smirked, stepping forward. "Drop him."

Megan happily obliged and Bane fell through the air, Superboy's fist catching him square in the jaw and throwing him back into the trees. He landed in a motionless heap as Superboy massaged his knuckles.

"What a hard head." He paused. "Helicopter's started back up."

"Then we'd better hustle," I said.

"Kid, go on ahead and prevent that shipment from lifting off!" Kaldur cried over his shoulder as we neared the factory.

Wally pulled down his goggles and disappeared in a cloud of dust. The rest of us ran on. In a few minutes we split into three groups; Robin and Megan to sabotage the helicopter, Superboy on his own to join up with Wally, and Kal and me.

After a few more minutes of running Kal and I emerged through the trees onto the outskirts of the warehouse. Megan was still maintaining a mental connection and Kal's voice sounded in my head.

_Stay alert._

I nodded. We managed to sneak up behind the group of Kobra, Sportsmaster, Tess and the red-haired girl. Superboy leapt down from the roof, creating a large crater in the tarmac. The beefy monster growled and stepped up.

"Go again?" He asked mockingly.

The monster roared and charged him. Kal whipped out his black hilts as his tattoos glowed. A jet of water caught the beast in the chest and sent him hurtling off the tarmac.

Superboy smirked. "Sorry, not the plan."

Kal continued the barrage of water as two cloaked guards ran towards us. Fire engulfed my arms as I turned to face them. They paused, shocked as I charged them. One dropped his gun, turned tail and ran, while the other was frozen in place, too confused or scared to do anything. As I neared him he raised his gun but it was too late. My right fist caught him in the jaw and my right knee made contact with his groin a moment after. He fell to the ground groaning. I grinned, Miss Spruce had been right about those self defense classes she had made me take, they sure did come in handy.

I looked back to the others. Kal was still keeping Kobra's monster at bay and Wally was charging around making a nuisance of himself to the enemy. Superboy was having a tougher time. Sportsmaster had his arm wrapped around Megan's throat and was keeping Superboy back with a constant stream of gunfire. Slowly he backed into the helicopter's storage bay, dragging Megan with him.

"Aqualad!" I cried.

He glanced over his shoulder and I pointed to Megan and Superboy.

"Go."

I gave the fallen guard one last kick for good measure and raced across the tarmac to help Superboy. Tess cut me off as I approached the helicopter. She had dirt streaked across her left cheek and a mad glint in her eye.

"You, brat," she spat angrily. "When I'm done with you you'll wish you had never entered this world."

"Is that right?" I asked mockingly. "How're you gonna do that?"

She grinned and produced a gun from behind her back. No, it wasn't a gun. It was a water pistol.

"I realized that I would garner very little pleasure from simply killing you," she chuckled. "Watching you suffer is so much more fun."

A jet of water from the muzzle streaked towards me. I lost my concentration as I dove out of the way. The fire on my right arm sputtered and died. I rolled to my feet and dodged another stream, reigniting my arm with the still burning one in the process.

"C'mon," she hissed gleefully. "Stand still and fight!" She fire again.

I leapt behind a crate as a stream of the water caught my right shoulder. I burnt like acid. I cried out in pain as Tess howled with laughter. The fire on my arm went out with a hiss as the skin beneath my suit began to smolder. Smoke rose from the area as I desperately tore at the material. An angry red burn was forming as my skin writhed before my eyes. After a moment the skin settled but the pain remained.

"The water causes your secretion cells to destroy themselves. It's fitting that your body's weakness is its element's polar opposite," she mused, looking down lovingly at the water gun.

The pain in my shoulder was practically unbearable. "Why are you here?" I groaned, hoping to keep her talking and buy myself some time to escape.

"Well since you're about to die I guess I can tell you," she reasoned. "The compound manufactured here is of interest to my board of directors. They are very interested in its more... practical uses."

"And those would be?" I asked as I pried a splinter of wood of the crate. It came off with an audible crack but Tess appeared not to have heard.

"I can't tell you that," she chuckled. "I don't know. I tagged along because my superiors were sure that the League would try something. However, meeting you and your sidekick crew was not what was anticipated."

She looked behind her as Kal finished off his opponent with a shock of electricity. The monster fell backwards and lay still. Turning back to me Tess grinned.

"Well, your team is about to have one less member," she laughed walking towards the crates.

I held the splinter like a knife in my right hand as she came to a stop in front of me.

"Ready to experience the worst pain imaginable?" She asked, holding the gun level with my eyes.

"The real question is, are you?" I hissed, driving the splinter of wood through the top of her shoe and into her foot.

She screamed in pain and anguish as I rolled away and clambered to my feet. Dropping the gun she wrenched the splinter from her foot.

"How dare you!" She shrieked.

I ignored her as a stream of water picked her up and threw her into the jungle. Kaldur approached from behind another stack of crates, sheathing his black hilts.

"Are you alright?" He asked, eyes resting on the rip in my suit,

"Truthfully, no," I said gingerly prodding my shoulder. "But I'll live."

I turned at the sound of the helicopter lifting off into the sky. Megan and Superboy were both safely on the ground as Megan produced Bane's detonator. The helicopter bucked from side to side as the charges exploded within its cargo bay. Fire erupted out of its rear hatch as it hurtled towards the earth and crashed headlong into Bane's factory.

"Let's get back to the rest of the team," Kal said.

"Right," I agreed.

We walked towards Superboy, Megan and Wally who had retrieved Robin at the edge of the jungle.

"We picked the right guy to lead," he said, turning to Kal. "Automatically making you the right guy to explain this whole mess to Batman!"

"We could always just say we found the island like this..." I suggested.

Megan nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Tell Batman that the factory was on fire and all the guards were unconscious when we arrived!"

"I have a feeling that Batman would not believe such a story," Kaldur mused a smile playing at his lips. "The League cannot punish us for simply doing what was right."

"Well we won't know until we get back," I sighed. "Megan do you want to bring the bioship around so we can get home."

"Sure thing!"

And so my first mission with the team ended. I didn't get myself killed or mortally wounded so I counted it a success. However when we got back to Mount Justice and Kaldur contacted Batman I guess the League didn't see it that way.

Everyone was sprawled across the couches of the TV room as Kal walked in from the Communications room.

"Batman will be here momentarily," he said.

"I'm changing out of this suit then," I informed them. "Be back in five."

Megan nodded and her black jumpsuit and blue cloak transformed back to her pink top and skirt.

"If only I could do **that**!" I laughed walking out of the room.

Back in my bedroom I pulled a pair of jeans out of my dresser and peeled the suit off my body. I left it in a pile on the floor as I slipped into the jeans and pulled a sweatshirt on. I padded back down the hallway and into the kitchen as Batman's arrival was announced by the metallic voice.

I made my way into the TV room and fell into step beside Megan. We entered the Communications room to see Batman standing moodily beside the computer, his arms crossed across his chest. The six of us assembled in a line before him.

"A simple recon mission," he began, glaring at Kaldur who looked away. "Observe and report. You will each receive a written report detailing your many mistakes. Until then..." His expression softened. "Good job.

We all looked up in shock. Kaldur looked relieved.

"No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success," he continued. "And how you determine who leads, determines character. You're all dismissed."

With that he stepped into the transporter disappeared.

"Well, that went better than I expected," I laughed.

"So, what are you girls going to do now that we have some free time?" Wally asked, sliding in between Megan and me.

"I'm going to-" I began, but was interrupted as the metallic voice announced the arrival of Miss Spruce.

We all looked to the transporter as Miss Spruce materialized her hand clamped firmly onto the forearm of a tall man. He looked about with a hint of surprise and then his gazed rested on me, the dark eyes behind his glasses sparkling.

"Pet!" Miss Spruce cried, rushing towards me and dragging her companion. "Did you just get back?"

I nodded. "Batman was just here."

"How nice," she replied absently. "There's someone I'd like you to meet. Pet, this is Jackson Miller."

"Just call me Jack," he said, proffering a hand for me to shake as he shook his dark hair out of his eyes.

"And why is he here in Mount Justice?" Robin asked from behind me as I took Jack's hand. "How did you two even get through the security system?"

Miss Spruce grinned. "He's here because I knew Cay would need someone to help her understand her powers. And as to how we got through the security measures, don't you trouble yourself with that. I'll put everything back to how it should be when I leave."

"You know about what my father did to me?" I asked.

He nodded. "But it wasn't just your father. The whole system that allows you to produce combustible hydrocarbons is my design."

I stared at him in shock. "You?"

He nodded. "Yup."

"Wait, hydrocarbons?" I said, shaking my head. "Don't you mean protein complexes?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "I knew if I left all the explaining to your father he would mess it up. Miss Spruce let me watch the will he left you. For one thing, what you burn are not proteins. They're organic hydrocarbons that are partly produced in protein complexes within specialized cells that I designed when he proposed the idea of creating a child with a new genetic code."

"Woah, back up. What?"

"Maybe I should just start from the beginning," he smiled. "Do you have somewhere private we can talk?"

I looked back at the team. My team.

"Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of them," I declared.

"Well alright then," Jack chuckled. "But there's a lot to tell. Do you have somewhere more comfortable?"


	4. Eligible

"Well, where to begin?" Jack sighed as he leaned back in his chair.

We had all moved to the TV room and the team was spread out across the couches and chairs as Jack sat in front of all of us on a chair I had retrieved from the kitchen. Miss Spruce was absent, she had to go and get something from the house or so she said.

"How about the beginning," I suggested. "What were you and my father thinking!"

He sighed again and adjusted his glasses. "That's just it. We weren't. First off, let's get this straight. Your body has the ability to manufacture and transport hydrocarbons out of the cell and through your epidermis. It does so through protein capsules that I designed specifically for that purpose. When they reach the surface the capsules rapidly degrade and then the hydrocarbons react to form a gel that you can easily ignite. The protein capsules do eventually burn, but not as readily as the hydrocarbons.

"Now, when we were all working for STAR Labs your father met your mother, Selena. They dated for a while and then decided to get married. You know how it works, true love and all that jazz. Anyway, in time your mother got pregnant and they both went off the deep end. Buying baby clothes, painting new rooms in their house pink for the baby, it was really quite disturbing, but they were so happy I didn't say anything. Then disaster struck, Selena lost the baby. She was working with volatile chemicals that hadn't been stored properly. The vapors she inhaled killed the child and nearly killed her. Your father buried himself in his work, leaving Star Labs to do private contract work for Wayne Enterprises.

"Selena fell into a deep depression for months. Not leaving the house, usually not even getting out of bed," he shifted in his chair and continued. "Then your father returned and he brought with him an idea. He used some of Selena's DNA and some of his own to genetically engineer a child. He asked me to help him and I agreed. Anything to help him and your mother. His work brought your mother out of her depression and we all began working on you. I was so happy to have them back to normal that I didn't stop to think about the consequences. For almost a year we designed processes for your body, it was Selena who wanted to give you powers. She wanted to have a child of science within the ranks of the World's Protectors. When you were 'born' your father was ecstatic. You were everything he wanted you to be. But your mother...

"The depression returned and she took to locking herself away from your father and I for days at a time. Try as we might we couldn't get through to her. Some days she was fine, her old self, and others she was like a different person. Your father decided that she was too dangerous for you to be around.

"One night she showed up at the lab and demanded to be let into the chemical storage unit. I refused and offered to drive her home to your father. She caught me in the side of the head with a tire iron and knocked me out. Using my ID card she took numerous compounds from the storage unit and compiled a solution. Your father and I found out later that she believed it would suppress her emotions. It didn't work out that way at all. The chemicals ravaged her brain stem and limbic system, completely rewiring her brain. I found her unconscious on the floor when I came too and thought that she must have poisoned herself. I called an ambulance and she was transported to the hospital."

"And she died?" I asked. I could feel the eyes of everyone on me but I ignored them. I needed to know and if not now, when?

"No," he replied his brow wrinkling in concern as he gazed at me. "She woke up, completely unharmed. Physically at least and she was functioning at the same level she had been before the accident. But it wasn't your mother. Selena was gone. The woman in her place killed three nurses, a doctor and twelve security guards with a scalpel and a 16 gauge needle before vanishing into the city. Days later she showed up at your father's house and tried to kill you. Your father managed to stop her before you were seriously hurt. Then she left and we heard nothing more from her. In truth, I thought she must have managed to get herself killed. Until Miss Spruce found me in Milan. She told me what had happened with the Cadmus facility, you, your father... and Selena."

"But, my mother wasn't involved with any of that," I said. "My father's death was because of Tess and her associate. And I have a feeling whoever was running Cadmus was behind their actions."

Jack looked at me, sadness creeping into his expression. "Cay, Tess _is_ Selena. She's your mother."

The silence that followed seemed to stretch into infinity. I remained silent. It couldn't be true.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but it's true. The chemical compounds destroyed all the morality, compassion and love that Selena possessed. In her place is Tess."

I closed my eyes. "Does she know who I am?"

Hesitating, he nodded. "I don't have any evidence that proves she does."

"Is that why all of this has happened? Because she wants me dead?"

"No. Tess works for Cadmus' Board of Directors. She wouldn't kill one of their best researchers unless they told her to. However, her pursuit of you... that is most likely an agenda separate from that of those running Cadmus."

"So... I'm a clone?" I asked.

"Not exactly," Jack replied. "Your DNA comes from two donors so you are not genetically identical to either. It's more appropriate to call you an Artificial Genetic Construct."

I continued. "How am I fireproof?"

"Your skin is composed of different cells than a normal human epidermis. Selena and your father engineered them to have a resistance to any temperature below about 1500 °C. We also tinkered with your enzymes and such. They're able to function at much higher temperatures than those of a normal person, to deal with the heat of the flames on your surface. However, we had to sacrifice the lower range of their function. Where a normal person would survive exposure to extreme cold you would most certainly die."

"Well that's comforting," Wally murmured. Robin punched him in the arm.

"And my whole problem with water?"

"That was something that was unavoidable. I tried to rectify it but unfortunately I couldn't create a secretory cell that would withstand exposure to the element. The nature of the hydrocarbons and proteins, being pyrophillic, is that they are extremely hydrophobic. They can only exist in areas where there is no form of aqueous material. You can't let the gel sit for too long on your skin or the moisture content in the air will begin to react with it." He paused. "Judging by that burn on your shoulder you've seen what the reaction can do."

"Then why didn't it happen when Tess had me thrown off that boat?"

"Batman analyzed your skin when you were brought back here," Robin put in. "You had stopped producing the hydrocarbons at least 4 hours earlier than when you were thrown from the ship."

Jack nodded. "That's the only explanation I could supply."

"And is there anything else?" I asked. "Maybe you can tell me who you are and how you knew my father."

"Your father and I grew up together. His father and my father worked on the same Board of Directors for a pharmaceutical company for twenty years. We were friends all the way through school and even went to the same University, albeit he followed a molecular genetics route while I studied organic biochemistry among other things. When we had both achieved our doctorates in our chosen fields we were employed by STAR Labs. And that's when everything started." He took off his glasses and began to clean the lenses with the bottom of his shirt. "Anything else?"

I shook my head. "For now I'm out of questions. That will probably change though."

"Why were you in Milan?" Megan asked.

"Fashion week," Jack replied, a grin spreading across his face. "And it was one of the last places Tess would look for me."

"Why would she be looking for you?" I said suddenly.

"Out of questions huh Cay?" He chuckled. "I was there because, besides her, I'm the only person who knows everything there is to know about your powers. She doesn't want you to be helped Cay. The less you know the better for her."

"Where do you plan on going then?" I asked. "If Tess is after you you'll be in danger if you stay in the city."

"I'm going to stay close by. I plan on staying in Metropolis. A few years ago I rented an apartment there that was quite to my liking." He grinned. "I can't go too far away. Your father would never forgive me if I did! And as to Tess... there is really no point to her killing me now. So I doubt she would go to the trouble. It simply isn't the logical decision for her to make."

I frowned. "I still don't like that you're putting yourself in danger. Maybe Miss Spruce could keep an eye on you."

"I'm pretty sure Tess is done with me," he reassured me. "In other news, I've got something for you!" He reached into the pocket of his jacket and produced a portable USB drive. "I also have a bigger gift but since it's not quite finished you'll have to wait."

"What's on it?"

"Let's find out!" Robin exclaimed, jumping from the couch and taking the USB from me. He produced a cord from his utility belt and plugged it into his wrist device and the TV. Plugging the stick in he tapped a few buttons and turned the TV on. A frozen frame of my father's face was visible as the screen became clearer.

"Cay, we will leave if you wish to watch this privately," Kaldur said.

Wally looked ready to protest and I shook my head. "It's fine. He doesn't know any embarrassing stories from my childhood and since I don't have much else I don't want you guys to find out we're golden."

He gazed at me steadily for a second and then nodded.

"Alright, here we go," Robin said. He pressed the play button and the movie began.

It was a lot like the will my father had sent me on the night of his death. He was dressed differently and the room behind him was different. Much tidier and brighter than the lab he had filmed the will in.

_Cay_, his voice echoed through the TV room._ I hope Jack will never have occasion to give this to you. However, if he does then know that it is of extreme importance that you pay attention. I have done my best to distance myself from you in hopes that your mother will leave you be and turn her attentions to me. _

_I know you will be angry with me for what my work for Cadmus will accomplish, but in order to keep you safe playing into Tess' hand is the only option. I instructed Miss Spruce that in the event of my death you are to receive all of my files. What she doesn't know Cay is that the hard drive in my lab at Cadmus is a fake. The files there are falsified copies. In the bottom drawer of the desk in my study is a key to a safe deposit box. In the box is an external drive with all my files and work accessible to you. Also in the box are other items that I am sure will be of use to you. Go to the Pawnbroker's on King road in Gotham. Two stores to its left is a boarded up Bakery. Go down the alley to the right of this building. The key is under a garbage can beside the door. The safety deposit boxes are at the bottom of the stairs. The number is 009. _

_When you get the hard drive Cay I want you to give it to Jack. He will extract the necessary information and forward it to the League. What I'm working on at Cadmus will greatly upset them and I'm sorry for that._

_Be careful Cay. I am fairly sure Tess has no idea that I have a duplicate drive but you can never be too sure with her. I hope you find the items within the box to be of use to you. Jack will explain their functions. _He paused, his face sad, lost. _I'm sorry Cay._

He reached forward and stopped the recording. The screen went black.

I sat in silence as Robin turned to me.

"Well that would have been nice to know sooner," he said, unplugging the cord. "I've spent hours on those encryption codes!"

"Huh, who would've thought," Jack mused. "He really did have things planned out."

I looked at him questioningly.

"I never thought he would have had the forethought to leave anything for you in the event of his death," he explained. "Of all the things your father possessed foresight was not one of them."

"So, you gonna go get that stuff?" Wally asked.

"No," I replied after a brief pause to collect my thoughts. "I'm tired, sore and in need of an extremely long bath. If that stuff has been there since he made this video, before he went to work for Cadmus, and no one has found it then I doubt it'll go missing in the next few days."

"Well if you need any help-"

"Thanks Wally," I interrupted. "Jack, will you come with me to Gotham to empty the box?"

He nodded.

"Robin?" I asked turning to him. "You know the city best. Do you know where King road is?"

"No idea, it's a big city. I think it has about six roads called King," Robin replied. "I'll look into it though and let you know."

"Sure. It's probably in some shady part of town. I'd start looking there..."

"Why do you say that?" he laughed.

"It would have been sensible to have put it somewhere bright and cheery. Since my father was neither sensible nor the bright and cheery type I would say we'll probably get mugged and killed before getting to the box."

Jack chuckled. "Cay you can produce insanely flammable structures that you can form into physical constructs-"

"I can do _what_ now?" I interrupted.

Jack adjusted his glasses again and shrugged. "If you produce enough of the hydrocarbon gel the protein structures that transport them will begin the stack on the surface of your skin. That makes it possible for you to make solid flammable constructs." He noticed my blank stare. "The gel and its transporters would assemble themselves into an object you could wield as a weapon. They're under your mental control after all."

"Sweet," I breathed. "How does that work?

"I don't know! All I can tell you is it's possible. You have to do the actual trial and error to see if it's practical for use in combat."

"Well that's unhelpful Jack," I sighed rising from the couch.

His face split into a grin. "Your father always used to say that."

"Huh... I'll see you tomorrow," I said standing awkwardly in front of him while he looked around the room.

"Yeah..." He paused. "I feel like I should hug you or something. Or would that make things more awkward?"

"I think maybe shaking hands would be less awkward," I laughed holding out my hand.

"Hand shaking, eh? I thought you kids were all about the fist bumping."

I dropped my hand as he stepped forward and wrapped me in a bear hug.

"Fist bumping," I croaked as he let me go and stepped back. "Where did you get that idea?"

"It was on a TV show they aired in Milan," he replied. "I'll phone you tomorrow Cay. We can organize a time to go and retrieve the contents of that box."

He turned to march out of the room but faltered. "Do you guys have a normal door? That transporter thing makes me nervous. I would hate to end up somewhere lacking in the oxygen department."

Megan smiled and rose from the couch. "Follow me!"

Jack nodded gratefully. "Thanks."

As he and Megan left the room Wally cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm off guys. My mom wanted me to help her weed her garden today. I guess I'm a few hours late for the party," he sighed and rose off the couch to my left. "Later."

Robin trailed after him. "I have to get out of here too..."

I nodded and turned to Kal and Superboy as he left the room.

"So what are you guys going to do?" I asked.

Superboy shrugged. "Watch the TV."

"I await Batman's reports for the team," Kal supplied.

"Well," I said slowly, "while you're doing that would you like to help me make dinner? I'm hungry."

He regarded me for a moment, then he smiled. "Sure."

As he followed me into the kitchen, leaving Superboy staring at a black TV screen something startling occurred to me. Kaldur was really good looking. I hadn't really noticed before. Well no, that's not right. I had noticed but I'd never really... noticed. Which sounded stupid but somehow made sense. He was so nice. As I opened the fridge and began rummaging around I wondered if he had a girlfriend. Probably. Just my luck. I grabbed a package of chicken and tossed it to him.

"What are we making?" He asked.

"Some form of chicken," I said walking over to the cupboards and throwing them open. He even had a great voice. "Let's see what we have."

And if he didn't have a girlfriend, what then? I stared at the spices and sauces in the cupboard for a moment. Dating within a team was never a good idea. It posed too many problems if things didn't work out. I sighed. He was so sweet too. He probably had a girlfriend. I always managed to fall for guys already in a relationship. Myr had always joked I was only ever attracted to guys who were already taken. Which was probably true but now the fact that a guy was in a relationship wouldn't be the only reason I wouldn't be going on a date any time soon. The fact I was now fighting villains and spontaneously combusting might turn off the few available good looking guys. It was a little depressing.

"So?" Kal asked as I made a hasty grab for the closest spice jar.

"We're making lemon and herb chicken," I replied placing the bottle on the counter.

He nodded, put the chicken down on the counter and retrieved a glass platter from under the stove. And he was able to cook! How much better could one guy be? I began unwrapping the chicken. Too bad we were on the team together. And he was the leader.

He slid the glass tray in front of me and I dropped the chicken into it. I grabbed the spice bottle and flipped open the cap. Shaking out the pungent spices my mind continued to spin.

If he didn't have a girlfriend, what then? The reasonable part of my mind responded with a resounding: "It will never work.".

The unreasonable mess that was the rest shouted back, "You never know until you try."

I recapped the spice bottle and turned to Kal.

"Can you preheat the stove?"

He nodded and began fiddling with the knobs on the stove.

I picked up the tray of chicken, watching him out of the corner of my eye. With a rising feeling of dread I realized how hopeless the situation was. He knew how to cook. He was really nice. He was someone you could talk to easily. He was gay.

My utter dismay must have registered on my face.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

Other than your sexual preference? I thought bitterly. "Nope."

He opened the stove and I slid the tray onto the rack within. But maybe he wasn't gay. Maybe he was just an all around good guy... Then he definitely had a girlfriend. Cursing my terrible luck I straightened up and smiled halfheartedly.

"Thanks. That will take about half an hour to cook," I said. "Want to watch a movie?"

"Sure," he replied still watching me closely.

"Alright." I marched out of the kitchen. Superboy and Megan, who had returned from escorting Jack out, were watching a cooking show. They both looked up as I sat down on the couch. Kal took a seat next to me. I watched him out of the corner of my eye.

"What would you two like to watch?" Megan asked. "I've seen this episode before."

"Do you guys have any movies?" I asked as she shook her head. "Well, what's on?"

Megan flipped the channel to a TV listings screen. I scanned the list of shows. Nothing.

"Want to watch the news?" She asked. "There's not much else on."

I turned to Kal. "Doesn't matter to me. You?"

"What is 'The Eligible Dude'?" he asked.

"It's a show where a bunch of girls fight over a pompous jerk with a lot of money," I sighed. "I think they're on season 21 or something."

Megan flicked to the channel that was playing the show right as a skinny crying blond woman launched herself across a fancy dinner table at a smug brunette woman who was hanging off the arm of said 'Eligible Dude'. The girls rolled around on the table screaming profanities that were censored out until two burly set attendants pulled them off one another.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Kal asked.

"I don't watch the show but I'm guessing no," I laughed.

The channel changed as Megan sighed. "They'll put anything on TV. Oh! An interior design show!"

I leaned back into the couch and closed my eyes. Even if I couldn't date Kal being around him was enough, right?

The next week and a half passed in a blur. At Red Tornado's instruction Kal and Robin began teaching me the basics of hand to hand combat. Every day I spent hours in the middle of a projected sparring ring and I had to admit. By the end of the week I was feeling pretty good about myself. I was faster on my feet and was able to dodge with less flailing appendages. And don't get me wrong, I was pretty happy to be spending the time with Kal. Even if he was either gay or had a girlfriend. There was still the slim chance that neither of those scenarios were true. A slim, slim chance.

I woke up the day after one particularly brutal exercise, sore and stiff, and trudged down to the kitchen. Megan was boiling a kettle of hot water when I walked in.

"Morning Megan," I yawned. "You're up early."

"Well I heard Superboy leave this morning. Last night he said he was going to Metropolis. I think he went to find Superman," she said, nervously wringing her hands.

"Don't worry about him. I mean, he's practically indestructible."

I opened the fridge and began rummaging around. Megan and I needed to go shopping. There was hardly anything left to eat. I grabbed a vanilla yogurt from beside a moldy orange and shut the door. I looked over to Megan who was staring worriedly off into space. She really cared about Superboy. I grabbed a spoon out of the sink and wiped it on my pants. I ripped open the yogurt container and began to greedily devour the creamy goodness that was the vanilla flavored dairy product.

"I hope he's alright," Megan mumbled as the tea kettle began to whistle.

I nearly choked on my spoon as she pulled it off the stove. "Oh my god! You're crushing on Superboy!"

"What! No!" She protested, her cheeks reddening.

"You most certainly are!" I cried, pointing my spoon at her, a triumphant grin spreading across my face. "Wally is going to be so crushed..."

"You can't tell the team!"

"I won't!" I laughed. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed."

She poured two cups of tea and offered me one.

"Thanks." I placed it on the counter next to my yogurt. "So... does Supey know?"

"No..."

"Well you'd better get on that or someone will come along and scoop him up before you know it." Not that I could see why anyone would want to date Superboy. He was good looking but he was so angry and... brooding. But if that's what Megan wanted then that was her choice. I was just a little bit relieved that she didn't have a thing for Kal. That would have been awkward.

She looked shocked. "Do you think so?"

"I really don't-" I was interrupted by the metallic voice announcing the arrival of Kaldur and Wally.

"Hey girls! The Wallman is in the house!" Wally cried from in the Command room his voice echoing clearly in the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes and looked to Megan. Picking up my tea I winked. "Speak of the devil."

She laughed as we walked into the TV room to meet them.

"Morning guys," I called as I fell onto one of the couches across from the TV being careful not to spill the contents of my cup.

Kal and Wally walked in moments later. They fell onto the couch beside Megan and I as my cell rang. I retrieved it from my pocket and read the caller ID.

"Jack," I said, rising from the couch and walking into the kitchen. I flipped the phone open and held it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Cay! How's my favorite goddaughter?"

I grinned. "Your only goddaughter is good."

Jack had phoned me nearly every day since he had moved into Gotham. In one week I had talked with him more than I had with my father over my entire life.

"Well that's good! Look I wanted to know if you have time to go to retrieve the lock box stuff tomorrow or the next day. I don't have anything planned and thought we could go on a fun bonding trip after!" He explained.

"The team hasn't gotten any missions so I don't see why that would be a problem," I replied, leaning against the counter. "When Robin gets here I'll ask him what time would work."

"Superb! Do you have plans for the evening on either of those days?"

"Um... no?"

"Doubly superb! You and I are going for dinner at Skunky Mick's then we'll go and see a movie of your choice!"

"Skunky Mick's? That sounds..."

"Skunky?" Jack supplied.

"You're ridiculous," I laughed. "And yes I would like to go for dinner at Skunky Mick's."

"And a movie?" He wheedled.

"And a movie," I replied. "You can choose, just no romantic comedies."

"Darn, I was so hoping to go and see 'Flirty Thirty'."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Most definitely. How about... 'Dangerous'?"

I paused. "Does it have good looking guys, explosions, and lots of blood?"

"Check, check and... extra check," he replied.

"Awesome," I grinned. "Let me talk to Robin about the lock box and I'll call you back."

"Talk to you later kid."

"Bye Jack."

The end of the line went dead and I shut my phone. As well as being a lot of fun to talk to Jack was full of information on my powers. I had been steadily working at forming the protein constructs that he had mentioned the first day I met him.

I hadn't shown the rest of the team but I had almost perfected it. I could make a baseball shaped projectile that would hold its shape long enough for me to toss it through the air at an opponent and from having watched Kal and his water swords I was beginning to wonder if I could make something like that. I hadn't tried it but based on what Jack had said it was probably feasible. I had no idea how to go about it but I was sure I would figure it out eventually.

I walked back into the TV room where Megan was trying to convince Wally that he would enjoy 'The Vegetarian Cook' almost as much as 'Aftermath of Doomsday'.

"Wally they play that movie every other day. If you haven't seen it let me fill you in. It's terrible and everyone ends up dying due to the massive radiation exposure," I sighed, sinking onto the couch next to Kaldur. "Why don't we do something other than watch TV?"

"What do you suggest?" Megan asked tossing Wally the remote. He gleefully switched to 'Aftermath of Doomsday'.

"Something that doesn't involve a whole lot of movement," I replied. "Hey didn't Robin say the combat simulator can project games?"

"I believe it can," she nodded.

I stood up. "Cool. Anything beats sitting in front of the TV. Wally, Kal, you coming?"

Kal shrugged and pushed himself off the couch. Wally watched Megan get up and hurriedly switched off the TV set.

"How could I refuse my two favorite ladies?" He asked, winking at Megan.

For the next three hours the four of us played the only game that was on the computer: air hockey. Now, normal air hockey is fun. Air hockey on a computer projected table that glows fluorescent green is awesome. As I beat Wally for the fourth and final time Robin came through the transporter.

"Wally you now owe me two candy bars, a milkshake, and a bucket of cookie dough ice cream," I reminded him as he threw up his hands in disgust.

"How did you beat me again!" he exclaimed. "I'm awesome at air hockey!"

"Not as good as I am!" I laughed, catching sight of Robin. "Hey Robin."

"Hey, air hockey eh?" He asked nodding towards the table.

"Yeah we didn't have anything else to do."

"Where's Superboy?"

"In Metropolis," Megan responded quickly. "He went to find Superman."

The computerized voice announced Superboy's arrival as we all looked to the transporter.

He materialized and marched moodily towards us and straight through the air hockey projection causing it to disappear. Jerk, I thought moodily glaring after him.

"Hi Superboy. How was Metropolis?" Megan asked.

"Not what he expected apparently," I muttered under my breath.

Superboy turned and fixed me with an icy stare. Super hearing, of course.

"Ready for training?"

Walking down the hall from the bay where Megan kept the bioship was a tall blond woman. A few steps behind her was Martian Manhunter, I knew him from the newscasts Miss Spruce was always watching. How they had gotten in I had no idea.

"Black Canary! Uncle J'onn!" Megan exclaimed running up and hugging her uncle.

"M'gann, I was in the neighborhood," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "and I thought I'd stop by and see how you were adjusting."

Megan smiled. "A few bumps, but I'm learning."

"That is all I can ask."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Superboy turn on his heel, making for the door to the kitchen.

"Stick around," Black Canary said suddenly. "Class is in session."

"Class?" I asked uncertainly.

She ignored me and stepped away from Megan and her uncle. The floor beneath her feet began to glow revealing the circular shaped ring. My stomach dropped. Kal, Robin and I had been using the same ring for sparring. And I was pretty sure that its only purpose (apart from holographic air hockey) was training.

"I consider it an honor to be your teacher," she began. "I'll be throwing a lot at you; everything I learned from my old mentors." Taking off her jacket she winced. "And my own bruises."

"What happened?" Megan asked, concern etched into her face.

"The job," Black Canary replied simply. Tossing her jack aside she looked at where we all stood. "Now, combat is about controlling conflict. Putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting, never reacting... I'll need a sparring partner."

Wally raised his hand. "Right here! Yeah!"

He tossed his banana peel, from the fruit he had been eating aside and came to a stop in front of Black Canary. "After this I'll show you some of my moves."

I rolled my eyes as Wally took up a fighting stance. A tone signaled for them to begin and Canary feigned a punch that Wally fell for allowing her to kick his feet out from under him. He hit the floor with a dull thud as a screen appeared beside him. _Kid Flash. Status: FAIL_ it read. I chuckled.

"Good block," Canary said, helping him to his feet. "But did anyone see what he did wrong?"

"Oh! He hit on teacher and got served?" Robin asked grinning. I elbowed him in the side. "Hey..."

"Dude!" Wally hissed turning to shoot Robin a dirty look.

"He allowed me to take control of the battle," Canary answered, ignoring Robin and Wally.

"Oh please."

All eyes turned to Superboy as he stalked into the illuminated sparring ring. "With my powers the battle is always on my terms," he hissed.

"Prove it," Canary said, her eyes gleaming.

Wally backed away from the two of them as the tone sounded. Superboy swung his fist wildly in the direction of Canary's head. She easily dodged him and casually flipped him over her shoulder. He landed on his back a few feet away with a grunt. Robin began to laugh. I went to elbow him again but Kal beat me to it. Robin covered his mouth with his hands, muffling the sound.

Rolling onto his hands and knees Superboy glared angrily at Canary.

"You're angry. Good, but don't react," she began. "Channel that anger into-"

Superboy charged again with an angry cry swinging for her head. Canary ducked and kicked his feet out from under him. As he landed Megan flinched and Robin tried to muffle his laughter again. Canary held out her hand to help him up but Superboy smacked it away.

"That's it," he shouted. "I'm done."

"Training is mandatory," Black Canary said evenly.

"Batman, to the cave."

Batman's transmission couldn't have come at a better time. For one thing, Superboy looked like he was ready to claw Canary's eyes out. Secondly, I really didn't want to spar with her in front of everyone. It would just be embarrassing.

"5 hours ago a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary. The attacker was capable of studying and duplicating the powers of its opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements which nearly proved disastrous. Our foe gained more power with each combatant," he said, his masked face appearing on the computer screen a few seconds after having received his initial transmission. "In the end it took 5 hours and eight Leaguers to defeat and dismantle the android."

"An android," mulled Robin. "Who made it?"

"We're not sure," replied Batman.

"The technology bears the signature of Professor Ivo," Martian Manhunter intoned.

I jumped. He had been so silent I had forgotten he was standing behind me.

"Ivo?" Kaldur asked, obviously shocked. "But Ivo's dead!"

Again I felt a little out of the loop. I really needed to brush up on my knowledge of super villains. Then maybe I would have more to contribute to discussions such as these. For the meantime I stood in silence. Batman obviously wanted us to do something with the android parts. Take them to Mount Doom and throw them into the fires? Maybe not, but definitely something equally dangerous.

"So we all thought," Canary said, addressing Kal, "or hoped."

"To make certain this threat is permanently neutralized we're sending two trucks carrying the android's parts to two separate STAR labs, one in Boston and one in New York, for immediate evaluation," Batman continued. "Every precaution is being taken. We'll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion if Ivo, or anyone, tries to recover the remains." He paused. "You will split into two undercover teams to safeguard the real trucks."

"Yes!" Cried Wally. "Road trip!"

"When do we leave?" I asked. "And do you expect us to drive? Robin's only thirteen, right? I think letting him drive is a tad illegal."

"Cay you ask too many questions," Wally sighed. "We're superheroes. We don't need licenses, right Bats?"

"No one is above the law," he replied crossly. "However, you are all capable of piloting a vehicle. As to your departure time you will leave as soon as the trucks are readied. Thirty minutes, an hour at the most."

"So now we take out your trash?" Superboy asked venomously.

"You have something better to do?" Batman questioned.

Superboy turned his gaze away from the screen. A set of coordinates blinked on one of the smaller screens to the left of the main display.

"Coordinates received," Kaldur said.

We all turned and made our way for the door. I still had to change into my suit. As we all crowded through the kitchen I nearly ran into Jack who was coming down the hall.

"Surprise!" he cried, dropping the two bags he was holding and hugging me. "Where are you all going in such a hurry?"

"Mission," I croaked, trying to wriggle out of his arms.

"I'll ready the bioship," Megan said, rising off the floor and floating down the hall as Robin and Wally followed.

Jack released me from his hold and Kaldur put a hand on my shoulder. "We leave in ten, Cay." He walked off down the hallway taking the alternate route to the bioship bay.

"Oh I'll be brief," Jack said rolling his eyes. "Wouldn't want you to be late saving the world. I just wanted to bring you the rest of your present!"

"What present?" I asked.

"The 'I'm-sorry-for-not-being-a-better-godfather-and-am-trying-to-buy-your-love' present that I didn't have finished when Miss Spruce brought me to see you last week." He grinned. "Tah dah!"

Picking up the bags in his left hand with a flourish he produced a fashionable grey jacket.

"That is adorable," I breathed, taking it from his hand. "Where did you get it?"

"I made it," he said smugly.

"Really?"

"Really, really. It's composed of the same material as your suit." He pulled a lighter out of his pocket with his free hand. Lighting it he held it up to the sleeve of the jacket. The flame bent around the fabric.

"That's awesome Jack! Thank you!"

"There's about twelve different outfits in these bags," he said, beaming. "If you want anything else made just tell me and I'll do my best to duplicate it. Now, go get changed and go save the world!"

"I don't think we're really at the world saving level yet," I laughed.

"Well everyone has to start somewhere, kid."

"Thanks Jack," I said, giving him a quick hug. "I'll talk to you later."

"Ok," he grinned. "Be safe!"

"Always."

* * *

I arrived in the bioship bay ten minutes later wearing a much more attractive outfit. The grey canvas jacket over a white tank top coupled with a pair of faux denim shorts. Jack had also made me a new suit. It was pretty sick. Black and grey with red accents on the ribs and shoulders, he had made it sleeveless which would make the hydrocarbons easier to ignite and burn. Or so I assumed.

I jogged up the ramp into the bioship and fell into a chair Megan created from the floor beside Kaldur. Everyone else was wearing civilian clothes and I was thanking my lucky stars that Jack had shown up when he did.

"Cay!" Megan exclaimed. "What happened to your suit? How are you going to fight?"

"Jack brought me a flame proof wardrobe!" I laughed. "No more horrendous one piece super-suits!"

"Don't be so hateful of the suit Cay," Wally grinned, turning to face me. "You looked great. But I have to admit those shorts sure do make your-"

"Wally," I said warningly. "Some things we should keep to ourselves."

He winked and turned to Megan. "But Cay isn't the only one who looks good."

"I think we need to make a list of phrases Wally can't use while riding in the bioship," I said to Megan. "Don't you?"

She laughed. "Knock yourself out."

"C'mon Cay, show the Wallman some love."

I rolled my eyes and settled back into my seat. "How far to the rendezvous point?"

"Twenty minutes," Kaldur responded.

It passed in a heartbeat.

Megan brought to bioship down behind a cluster of trees. We all unbuckled our seat belts and filed down the ramp. Standing a scant few feet away were six motorcycles.

"Really?" I asked.

"Oh yeah," Robin grinned, "really."

Megan walked up to one of the motorcycles and placed a hand on the handlebars.

"How do they work?" She asked.

"It's not too complicated actually." Behind her the air blurred momentarily and the Flash came into view.

"Gas, brake," he said, pointing to the throttle and the brake pedal. "Steering and clutch. Any more questions?"

"Flash!" Cried Wally, apparently overjoyed to see his mentor. Walking up to him they fist bumped.

"Hey Kid, you guys ready?"

"Of course."

"Good. Motorcycle suits are in the side compartments. Helmets are under the seats. Safety first! Gotta go!" He disappeared into the bushes as fast as he had come.

"Well, that was helpful," I said pulling my helmet out of the seat and swinging my leg over one of the motorcycles.

Everyone else slipped into the suits and helmets.

"Cay, aren't you going to wear the suit?" Robin asked, hopping on his bike.

I shook my head. "If I have to fight I don't have time to get out of it. It's easier to ride like this. Despite the risk of road rash," I sighed looking down at my bare legs.

"We need to split into two teams," Kaldur said, zipping up his suit. "Two groups of three. One for each truck."

"I'm with Cay," Wally said, jumping onto the bike beside mine. He grinned at me. "You okay with that?"

"Overjoyed," I replied. Riding with Kal was definitely the only outcome I would really be happy with.

"Fine. Cay, Kid Flash, you're with me. Superboy, Miss Martian, Robin, you accompany the truck bound for New York," Kal instructed.

I smiled slightly.

Superboy was watching me closely. "What are you grinning about?"

I frowned as Kal gave the signal to move forward. Our truck tracked left while the other tracked right. Everyone started their motorcycles. Kal sped off followed by Wally and I riding abreast.

* * *

We were kept connected through the comm links we had used in the last mission. After half an hour of Wally doing his best to make conversation I was ready to rip it out of my helmet and throw it into the cornfields that lined the road. As he finished a particularly long winded story about how he and Flash had taken down some giant gorilla I took the initiative to halt the assault on both my and Kaldur's ears.

"Wally. Stop. Talking," I groaned.

"I agree," Kal's voice replied in my ear. "We should maintain radio silence. Not that we are unimpressed by your victory over Gorilla Grodd."

I grinned. Kal was always so diplomatic.

"Okay, but if you were impressed by that you would love to hear-"

"Wally!" I cried, the thought of another story pushing me over the edge. "Radio silence is code for shut up! No more stories!"

"Okay, okay," his voice sounded in my ear. "How about you tell us something about yourself?"

"What?"

"We don't know much about you Cay. Except what that video Jack showed us. C'mon you must have some interesting story," Wally pressed.

"I really don't. I lived in Metropolis all my life. My dad was never around. Miss Spruce took care of me. I went to school. I hung out with my friends. I was normal. Now, radio silence!"

"Normal... That's a foreign concept."

I was about to respond when a metallic giggling echoed from either side of the road.

"What is that?" I asked, looking towards the cornfields.

"It doesn't sound good," Wally hissed.

Seconds later a swarm of robots erupted from either side of us. One landed in the road in front of me. It was a monkey. A flying robot monkey. Who makes a flying robot monkey? I swerved as it giggled maniacally and grabbed onto the rear of my bike.

"It's on my bike!" I cried, speeding up as the rest of the monkeys landed on the truck.

"Try and shake it off," Kal said through the comm, knocking the robots off the truck with a barrage of water columns.

The robot grabbed the back of my jacket and tried to pull me off the back of my bike. Holding on to the handlebars I swung my right leg up and kicked it onto the road behind me. It hit the asphalt and shattered.

"Nice," Wally's voice sounded in my ear. He was on top of the truck.

"How did you get up there?" I asked, speeding up and keeping pace with the truck as the driver tried to outrun the monkeys.

Knocking a few off the side as they tried to bore through the outside of the truck he grinned. "Do you need some help."

"Yes!" I cried as one of the monkeys latched onto the back wheel of my bike. The wheel exploded as the robot chattered excitedly, the bike swerved into the side of the truck and as I prepared myself for the worst I saw the pavement rushing up to meet me.

I shut my eyes and let go of the handlebars. Someone grabbed the back of my jacket and a moment later my right shoulder made contact with the truck. Opening my eyes Wally was standing over me.

"You owe me, beautiful," he winked before disappearing to keep the monkeys at bay.

"Thanks Kid!" I called.

There was a chattering behind me as I whipped a lighter out of my back pocket. Three monkeys were using their laser vision to melt the roof of the truck.

"No you don't," I hissed.

The gel began collecting on my arms as I flicked the lighter. The flames spread quickly as I returned it to my back pocket.

"Hey!"

All the monkeys looked up at me as I threw three balls of the flaming gel. They were engulfed by flames as their mocking chatter turned to chirps of anger. The gel incapacitated two out of the three. As its friends collapsed in on themselves the third leapt towards me. A jet of water knocked it off into the cornfields. Kal was riding alongside the truck.

"Thanks!" I called.

He nodded. I turned away, looking for more of the monkeys as a second swarm flew out of the cornstalks. Five landed in front of me and picked up where their predecessors had left off. I gathered more gel in my hands, preparing to throw if when the truck shuddered beneath my feet and swerved violently. I was knocked sideways and tumbled towards the edge of the roof. I managed to catch hold of the ledge, avoiding becoming a brightly coloured smear on the pavement. Swinging myself back up I landed lightly on my feet.

"Nice save," Wally said as he continued to knock monkeys off the sides of the truck.

I tossed my flaming projectiles at the monkeys but for every one I destroyed two more took its place. They made a final cut and the metal of the truck's roof folded back. The horde descended inside as the guards began firing wildly, eliminating any chance of me helping them. I watched helplessly as the monkeys emerged carrying the androids pieces. I launched myself at them as they slowly lifted into the air but I was knocked back as one of their mechanized tails caught me in the side of the head.

I landed heavily on the roof, seeing stars. The truck swerved again, it was heading straight for the ditch. I heaved myself to my feet and took a running leap off the side. Hoping to lessen the force of impact I tucked and rolled before hitting the ground. Surprisingly I managed to roll into the corn rows and avoid being crushed as the truck hit the ditch and flipped onto its side. Kaldur brought his motorcycle to a halt where I had fallen as I heaved myself to my feet.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I think so!" I laughed dusting myself off.

"Good." Taking off his helmet he pressed the comm link in his ear. "Aqualad to Robin, we lost our cargo did you-"

"It's gone." Robin's reply was muffled in my ear. "And so is Superboy."

"Aqualad to Superboy, radio us your position. We can help you."

"I don't need help and don't want any!" He shouted, his voice ringing in my ear. There was a fuzzy click and then silence.

"Superboy." Kal pressed his own comm again. "Superboy?"

"I think he ditched his comm," I said rolling my shoulders and checking myself for any injuries.

"Yeah," Robin agreed.

"Super!" Wally groaned. "Now we can't even track him."

"Megan," I said, pressing my comm link, "can you contact him with your telepathy?"

There was a brief moment of silence. "No," she replied her voice laced with static, "he's out of my telepathic range."

The static increased, nearly drowning out the end of her response. I plucked the comm link out of my ear. Kal and Wally looked at me questioningly.

"I didn't catch that last bit," I said. "Static. I think it's broken."

"It is possible when you jumped off the truck it was damaged," Kal reasoned.

I sighed and tucked it into my pocket as I walked over to them. "Wally can you please tell me what the others are saying?"

He gave me a thumbs up. "Megan thinks we should contact Big Red."

Kaldur shook his head. "Tornado always tells us to handle our problems on our own," he said. "The mission can still succeed if we recover the parts before they're assembled."

"But where are they taking the parts?" I asked.

Kal and Wally were listening intently to something that Robin or Megan were saying.

"Robot monkeys have GPS," Wally said. "Rob's tracking the signal and... they're in Gotham."

"That far South?" Kal replied, shaking his head. "Cay and I will never get there in time. You and M'gann go on ahead. I'll send Kid ahead to meet you. Aqualad out."

Wally pulled his goggles down. "See you guys later."

He took off down the road leaving me standing next to Kal.

"Where is your motorcycle?" He asked.

I grinned and picked up a handlebar. "Not sure but here's part of it."

He chuckled and slid forward. "Hop on."

I hesitated before climbing on behind him. Sitting as far back on the seat as possible I wrapped my hands around the rear wheel guard.

"Okay ready to go," I said.

"If you sit like that you will fall off the back," he said, looking at me over his shoulder.

"Nah, I'm good."

He shrugged and started the engine. The bike jolted forward and I almost toppled off. To keep myself on the bike I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"You did that on purpose," I accused moving forward to sit more comfortably behind him.

He didn't reply as we sped down the highway.

* * *

I don't know how fast we were going but we reached the school in Gotham where Ivo was reassembling his android in time to see Superboy stick his fist through it's head as it dematerialized. It solidified itself and the head burst into pieces.

"Help me disassemble him!" Robin cried kneeling down next to the fallen android.

"Dude, he's got no head!" Wally protested.

"Take no chances!" Kal cried as we ran over and began to help Robin.

"Nice Superboy," I said as Megan helped him to his feet.

"Thanks," he replied smiling slightly, "feeling the aster."

"Where's Ivo?" Asked Wally.

"Really?" I asked, scanning the bleachers of the gym. "Come on. Let's find him."

"No," said Kal grabbing my arm. "Ivo is long gone. Amazo is our priority."

I wanted to protest but he had a point. Ivo wouldn't stick around once his android had been destroyed. I wrenched one of Amazo's arms out of its socket and placed it in the armoured box Megan had levitated towards us.

"Why would anyone make something like this?" Wally asked, tossing the ruined pieces of Amazo's head into one of the boxes.

"The real question is why would Ivo resurface if everyone thought he was dead? Wasn't having the League under the assumption that he was gone for good make his work easier?" I asked.

"Perhaps he had motivations that far outweighed the value he placed on his own safety," Kal suggested as the last piece of Amazo's torso was placed in the box. "These parts need to get to STAR labs. We will break into our original teams and escort them to their original destination. I will radio the League to send replacement transport for the parts and us."

* * *

We returned to Mount Justice a few hours after delivering our half of Amazo. Unfortunately I didn't get to ride with Kal on the way to Boston. I got my own motorcycle again. Back in the Cave I had just enough time to change into more comfortable clothes, sweatpants and a t-shirt, and slip into bed before the intercom called the whole team down to the communications room. I hadn't got around to doing anything with my hair so it was piled in a messy blonde bun on the top of my head. I had to roll out of my comfortable bed, sore and stiff, and limp down to get debriefed.

"The Amazo android is in pieces again," Kaldur said, as we all stood before Black Canary, Batman, Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter, "safely being analyzed in two separate STAR labs. But Ivo escaped and since he originated the tech he is arguably more dangerous than before."

"Capturing the Professor will be a League priority," Canary replied.

"But we understand that your mission encountered," Manhunter paused, searching for the right words, "other complications."

Superboy looked away as everyone inadvertently looked towards him.

"It all worked out," I said, yawning as Superboy shot me a grateful look. "Even with the complications."

"Complications come with the job," Batman said stepping up in front of us. "Your ability to handle them has impressed the League."

"The whole League?" Superboy asked. I couldn't help but notice a hint of hopefulness in his voice.

"Given time, yes. Kryptonians, as you know, have very hard heads," Batman paused and surveyed the whole team. "Of course there's no shame in asking for help. That's why the League exists, because there are some problems even we can't handle individually."

I began to zone out as Robin pointed out... something. My eyes began to droop, noticing my comatose state Megan elbowed me in the side. My eyes snapped open and I was jolted back into reality as Robin held an arrow out to Batman.

"You were following us!" He cried. "Babysitting! You still don't trust us!"

"We didn't follow you," Batman said as Green Arrow took the arrow and compared it to one of his own.

"One of these things is not like the other..." I hummed. The two arrowheads were different.

Robin looked somewhat surprised. "Cay's right. That's not your arrow. But that means-"

"Speedy!" Wally laughed.

"He has our backs," Kaldur finished looking pleased.

"And Speedy is?" I asked, suppressing another yawn.

"He was Green Arrow's sidekick," Wally replied before snatching the arrow from the hero's hand. "Souvenir!"

Superboy walked up to Black Canary and cleared his throat. She turned towards him.

"I'm ready," he said simply.

"Good," she replied, placing a hand on his shoulder, "because I'm here."

I turned away and began to quietly make my way back towards the door that led to my bedroom.

"Cay."

I groaned inwardly and turned around. Canary was walking towards me.

"Batman has told me your history," she said. "Know that I am here to help in any way."

"Thanks," I replied.

"I will return tomorrow to start your training in the basics. We'll work our way up from there."

I nodded and stifled yet another yawn. "Okay."

"Get some rest." She smiled slightly and walked back to the rest of the Leaguers. They left through the transporter as Batman dismissed us all.

"So Cay," Wally said, toying with the arrow, "if you need a sparring partner, my schedule is very flexible."

"If I wasn't so exhausted I would have a witty retort to that Wally," I sighed, turning to leave. "Goodnight everyone."

"Cay!" Robin said pausing on his way to the transporter. "Tomorrow, you and Jack meet me at City Hall in Gotham. I found that Pawnbrokers shop."

"Cool. We'll see you then."

I trudged out of the room. I was so tired. I made it all the way to the hallway leading to my room when someone cleared their throat behind me. I groaned inwardly and turned around. Superboy was leaning against the wall, steps away from the kitchen door.

"Yes,?" I said.

"I... uh," he faltered and turned his gaze to a spot on the ceiling. "I'm sorry."

I paused, taken aback. "You're... sorry?" I replied. "For what?"

"Everything," he grumbled, still avoiding my gaze.

"Oh..."

His gaze turned guiltily to an even more interesting spot on the floor as my mind reeled trying to come up with something to say.

"Look, Superboy," I sighed. "Thanks. Trust issues and all you're a pretty good guy. So could we just be, like, friends? Because to tell you the truth I would like that."

He looked up and met my gaze. The corners of his mouth turned up as he inclined his head "Sure. You're part of the team, right?"

"I guess I am. So... friends?"

"Friends."

Still looking amused Superboy disappeared back into the kitchen and I was left alone standing in the hallway. Was I hallucinating are had that really happened? I shook my head, trying to clear it, as I resumed trudging down the hall to my room. Slipping inside and shutting the door behind me I fell onto my bed, closed my eyes and drifted off.


	5. Lock Box

The next day I woke up later than I had planned. I grabbed my phone off the night stand beside my bed and checked the time: 9:36. I groaned as I rolled out of bed and began rooting through the bags of clothes Jack had brought the day before. I hadn't had time to put them into my dresser and one more day in the bags wouldn't make a difference. I grabbed a purple cardigan, white and grey striped v-neck tee, and a pair of black shorts. Jack really had great taste. Everything I had pulled out of the bags so far was great.

After changing out of the sweats that I had slept in I made my way down to the kitchen. I stopped in the doorway as my cell began to ring. I fished it out of the back pocket of my shorts and flipped it open.

"Hello?" I didn't recognize the caller ID.

"Hey Cay, it's Rob," a familiar voice replied.

"Oh, hi!" I said. "What's up?"

"Are you and Jack going to meet me today?"

"Yeah, I think so. We didn't specify a time so I thought you might just show up at the Cave and we could go to Gotham from here," I paused, waving to Megan as she grinned holding up a pan of scrambled eggs. "But I'll call Jack right now and meet you outside of City Hall in... let's say four hours."

"Okay. I'll see both of you then."

"Oh and Robin."

"Yeah," he said.

"How did you get my cell number?"

"Would you be upset if I said I pulled it off the phone bills Miss Spruce pays every month with money from your trust fund?"

"How did you find those?" I cried. "I thought they were suppose to be secure documents!"

"Nothing is completely secure," he replied simply.

"Well, it's a little creepy that you hacked my phone bills and found my cell number. But since you found the Pawnbrokers for me I can forgive your Super Stalking Skills."

"You mean Detective Skills, right?"

"Detectives get paid to hack phone bills," I pointed out.

He laughed. "I'll see you later Cay."

"Bye Rob."

I flipped my phone shut as Megan began scraping the scrambled eggs out of the pan onto three plates.

"Morning Megan," I said sauntering into the kitchen.

"I made eggs!" She said proudly. "With cheese!"

"So I see," I laughed, snatching a plate off the counter. "Is the third one for-"

"Superboy," Megan interrupted looking over my shoulder, "eggs are done."

I turned and saw him standing in the doorway of the TV room. "Thanks."

"Morning," I said as he walked in and took the proffered plate.

"Hey," he replied, spearing a substantial piece of egg with his fork and shoving it into his mouth. "Ya 'oin' wid Wob'n ta Go'am?"

"You don't say," I laughed.

Megan hid a smile behind her hand as she turned to the sink and ran the pan under the tap.

Superboy's brow furrowed as he swallowed his mouthful. "Are you going with Robin to Gotham?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I was just talking to him. I'm going to call Jack and meet them both in a couple of hours."

"Do you need one more?" he asked, looking to Megan. "Or two?"

"Do you two want to come?" I asked, grinning.

"Well we don't have anything else to do today," Megan said. "Black Canary won't be here until after dinner and the satellite is out so the TV isn't working."

I speared some egg with my fork and thoughtfully placed it in my mouth.

I swallowed. "Sure! We can take the bioship to Gotham right?"

"Of course," Megan said enthusiastically. "When do we leave."

"I told Robin we'd meet him in front of Gotham City Hall in four hours."

Superboy nodded and disappeared back into the TV room, taking his plate of eggs with him.

As soon as he was gone I turned to Megan.

"Is he feeling alright?"

"I think so," she replied worriedly. "Why? Does he look sick to you?"

"He's being so... nice," I replied. "It's weirding me out."

"I think he's finally adjusting to being part of the team. He seemed... different after we beat Amazo. I'm glad."

I grinned. "I'll bet you are. Worried you had fallen in love with a total jerk weren't you?" I whispered.

"Cay!" She cried her cheeks burning bright red. "You're terrible. He was never a jerk!"

"Oh he definitely was. He was ever so slightly ," I laughed, picking up my plate and walking towards the TV room. "Do you want to eat breakfast together or would you like me to leave the two of you alone?" I joked, lowering my voice.

"You're terrible," she repeated, grinning from ear to ear. "Let's go. We can have a team breakfast."

"I think we're a few members short," I said as she followed me out of the kitchen.

Superboy had polished off his plate of scrambled eggs and was staring blankly at the black TV screen. I pulled my phone out of my pocket as I sat down in the chair opposite of him. Megan cautiously sunk down next to him. He didn't seem to mind.

I dialled Jack's number and held the phone up to my ear. It rang a few times before he picked up.

"Hello favourite goddaughter!" he sang.

"Hi Jack," I laughed.

"So, what's up? Or did you just long to hear the sound of my melodious voice?"

"I talked to Robin," I replied, ignoring his final comment. "Can you meet us outside of Gotham's City Hall in four hours or so? He's found the Pawnbrokers."

"Of course! Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of at the moment."

"Good, good," he chuckled. "Don't forget the key! I'll see you soon. I'm going to have to leave now to get there in time."

"Okay Jack. Drive safe!"

"You know it."

Flipping the phone shut and throwing it onto the cushioned arm rest beside me I shovelled another forkful of egg into my mouth. I glanced at the clock on my phone. It read 10:22. We wouldn't have to leave for another hour. I continued eating my eggs and flicked on the TV. Static.

"The satellite's out," Megan reminded.

I sighed. It was going to be a very long hour.

* * *

Megan readied the bioship at around 11:30 and we left soon after. It was a relatively short flight to Gotham and we were in front of City Hall long before Robin or Jack arrived. I toyed with the hem of my cardigan as Superboy, Megan and I sat on the cement steps leading up to the Hall's entranceway. It was weird seeing Megan with a flesh coloured skin tone. It didn't seem right.

"I thought you said you and Robin planned to meet here," Superboy said irritably. "We've been waiting over twenty minutes."

"Sorry Supey. The traffic at this time of day is terrible," a familiar voice chortled.

Closing the door of the black car he had just clambered out of Robin turned back to us.

"Master Richard?" The elderly man who was driving the car had unrolled the passenger window and was peering across from the driver's side. "When shall I return?"

"I'll call you, Alfred," Robin replied absently.

Looking less than pleased the driver rolled up the window and the car pulled away.

"How nice of you to join us Master Richard," I grinned.

"Please don't call me that," he groaned mounting the steps and sitting beside us.

"I make no promises," I replied as Megan laughed.

"Moving on... where's Jack?" he continued.

"Over there," Superboy said, pointing down the block.

I scanned the busy sidewalk for Jack. "Where?"

"Two intersections down outside a cobblers shop," he replied. "He just bumped into a man carrying a tray of coffee. They're yelling at each other."

"I wish I had your eyes," I said wistfully.

"Yeah, they're great eyes," Megan agreed smiling slightly.

I grinned. "Which way to the Pawnbroker's Rob?"

He pointed in the direction Jack was coming from. "That way."

"Then let's go meet Jack," I said, rising from the steps.

We made our way down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

"Why are there so many people?" Superboy growled as a tall dark haired man shoved rudely between him and Megan.

"Big city," Robin replied, pushing ahead. "Just follow me."

We followed him, single file, down the sidewalk until we bumped into Jack. Looking up he grinned.

"Hey there kids. Ready to go?" He paused and looked from Megan and Superboy to me. "Cay..."

"They came to help," I supplied.

"Hmmm... seems logical," he said, turning to Robin. "Lead the way."

Robin nodded and adjusted his sunglasses before setting off into the crowd. I fell into step beside Jack while Megan and Superboy brought up the rear.

"Why the extra company?" he asked, his voice low.

I cast a sidelong glance at him. His eyes were fixed on Robin's back.

"Because they're part of my team and they're my friends," I replied quietly. "Plus if we find ourselves in a tight spot they'll both be more than helpful."

"I suppose," he murmured.

"Jack why does it matter?"

"Travelling in a group of four kids and me is way more conspicuous than you, me and him." He nodded his head towards Robin. "We're going to draw too much attention like this. Tess must know we're here."

Robin turned onto a side street and we were suddenly very alone. A drastic change. I glanced over my shoulder Megan and Superboy were watching Jack and I closely.

"Well that's too bad because they're here now," I replied quickening my pace to catch up with Robin.

"I promise not to say, 'I told you so'," Jack sighed from behind me.

I ignored him. "Robin, how far?"

"Not long now. Five minutes at the most," he replied.

We continued on in silence. The only noise was that carrying from the main city streets. Cars honking, people shouting. The lack of activity on the side street was sort of unnerving. As we approached a dingy alley Robin turned sharply down it. Then I got a really bad feeling. My pace faltered and Jack placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Too late to turn back now," he whispered. "Even if you want to go back chances are Tess has people in place to stop us from getting out of here."

"Why do you have to be all doom and gloom?" I complained continuing down the alley.

"Sorry Cay, there's almost no chance we've escaped her notice. You're here, he's here," he motioned towards Superboy. "Better to get the goods and get out before anyone gets hurt."

Robin stopped in front of an unimpressive grey door. Beside it was a garbage can. I knelt down and tilted it back. There was a small, tarnished silver key taped to the bottom.

"How has no one managed to find this?" I asked, straightening up and turning to the door.

"No one knew to look," Jack replied.

I placed the key in the lock. Turning it the door swung inwards revealing a dark stairway.

"Ladies first," Robin said, stepping away from the doorway.

"Always the gentleman," I murmured stepping into the building and running my hands along the walls, searching for a light switch.

My hands brushed up against a switch and I flicked it upwards. Not that it helped much. The fluorescent lights above us had long ago fallen into similar disrepair as the rest of the building. I was halfway down the stairs as one after another they all burnt out. Megan yelped as the door slammed shut with a bang, plunging us into darkness. I pulled my lighter out of my back pocket to light the way.

Cautiously descending the last ten steps I finally felt the concrete of the floor beneath my feet. The faint light of the flame fell on a door. I tried to turn the handle. It was locked.

"Any ideas guys?" I asked turning the dim light back to my entourage on the stairs.

Robin joined me at the bottom of the stairs and pulled a handful of wire-like devices out of his pocket.

"Just one," he grinned kneeling down and slipping two of the wires into the lock of the door handle.

He fiddled with the lock for a good five minutes before Superboy descended the stairs and pushed him aside.

"Stand back," he said.

Robin and I both retreated to the stairs as he swiftly kicked the door off its hinges.

"I almost had it," Robin complained.

"Sure you did," I replied. "Thanks Supey."

He nodded as I slipped past him into the lockbox room. I held my lighter out in front of me as the flame flickered and died.

"C'mon," I hissed trying furiously to relight it. "Light!"

"The box you're looking for is on the back wall. Three up from the bottom and two in from the far left hand side," Superboy supplied quietly.

"How do you know that?" I asked inching my way back, my hands held in front of me searching for the wall.

"I have... good eyes," he explained.

So Megan says, I thought. My hands made contact with the smooth metal of the back wall of lockboxes and I moved to the left until my shoulder brushed against the wall. I knelt down and began to work my way up to the third row, two over. I fished the box's key out of my pocket and slipped it into the lock after a minimal amount of fumbling.

There was a slight click and the door swung open. My hand closed around a rectangular plastic item that I pulled out and placed on the floor beside me. Farther back in the box was what felt like a police baton. I placed it next to the first item. At the very back was what felt like a USB but it was almost too thick. I felt around some more but that was all that had been left. I shut the box and locked it, returning the key to my pocket.

I picked up all the items and made my way back to the door. My eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness and Superboy's dark outline was faintly visible in the door.

"What was in the box Cay?" Megan asked from somewhere behind him.

"No idea," I replied bumping into Superboy. "Whoops, sorry."

He stepped back and I inched forward. My hand groping the air in front of me.

"Cay, why don't you just light up?" Jack asked a hint of exasperation in his voice. "It would really make things much easier, no?"

"It would but I don't have an ignition source," I replied as I reached the bottom of the stairs. "Let's head back up."

I heard them begin mounting the stairs as I turned the plastic box over in my hand. Why leave it here?

"Cay," Jack said suddenly. The sound of steps on the stairs paused.

"Yes."

"What did you mean, 'I don't have an ignition source'? If you can create enough friction between the molecules of the gel you can ignite it."

"I can?" asked incredulously.

"Didn't I tell you that already?" he mused.

"No. No you did not," I replied as we continued the slow climb up the staircase. "So... how does that work?"

"Well, in theory, you create the gel, rub your hands together and boom! They ignite. Since you have mental control over the structures I assume you could vibrate them quickly enough they would combust, though I don't personally believe it's possible."

"Jack, I burn hydrocarbons on the surface of my skin and am a genetic construct of DNA from my mother and father. I'm friends with someone from Mars, Superman's clone and a guy from Atlantis. Personally, vibrating the molecules of the gel to make them combust is really not that far-fetched," I said dryly as Megan wrenched open the door, sunlight flooding down the staircase.

"That's better," Robin said as we all filed out into the alley. His gaze rested on the black box in my hands.

"An external drive," he informed me.

"But there's nowhere to plug in a cord," I said, holding out the drive.

He took it from my hands and turned it over. "Weird. Could be hidden. I'm sure it's an external drive. I've seen enough of them." He began fiddling with the box, running his fingers along its length looking for some evidence of a USB connection.

I turned my attention the police baton that I had tucked under my arm. Jack grinned as I held it out in front of me.

"I can't believe he made it," he mumbled gently plucking it from my grasp and turning it lovingly over and over in his hands.

"Who made it?" I asked.

"Your father," he said absently, "but it was originally my design."

"What did you design it for."

"I designed it for you. Remember how I said you could make a physical construct with the gel and the protein capsules? This provides a substantial core and allows you to build the construct faster," as he spoke a grin slowly spread across his face. "See here? These striations act as footholds for gel to mount the length of the baton and reach the tip. I can't believe he made it."

"Flaming blunt force trauma stick, how have I lived without it," I said taking the stick from his hands. "How did he know I would ever use this? And why leave it here?"

"He must have known Cadmus would eventually no longer need him," Jack said grimly. "And when that happened he knew Tess would come after you. That drive probably contains all his research for them and all the documents concerning you and your development."

I didn't respond as I looked down at the baton. Had my father been forced out of my life by Tess or was it his own decision. I banished the thought from my mind. The last item was a small black box. I pushed the lid open revealing a red velvet interior. Nestled in the folds of the fabric were two rings. The first was a dark grey band. I pulled it from the box and tried to slip it onto my ring finger. It was too small. I tried my middle finger, perfect fit. I turned my attention to the second a smooth silver metal strip. Again it didn't fit my ring finger.

"Try the middle finger on your right hand," Jack suggested watching me closely.

The ring slid easily on to my finger. "What are they?"

"Your mother suggested them," he answered. "When you need to ignite the gel you simply strike the rings together. One is a high density metal alloy and the other is a form of slate that will not chip or break. Striking them together will produce a spark."

"Why rings?" I asked.

"Because it's easy to disguise their intended purpose. Plus they're small, portable and easy to use."

"They're cute!" Megan said. "Very fashionable."

"Thanks Megan," I laughed.

"We should get out of here," Superboy said in a low voice.

Everyone looked to him. My heart began beating faster.

"Why?" Robin asked, handing me back the external drive.

"On the roof of the building at that end of the alley there are six men in full combat gear. They're preparing to move. I think we should do the same," he replied steadily.

I tossed Megan the hard drive. "Put that in your bag. I don't want to be holding it if we get cornered."

She nodded and placed it into the satchel she had slung over her shoulder.

"If we can get out onto the main street we're in the clear," Robin said. "They won't risk being seen. I think."

"You think?"

"Don't think," Jack said, "run."

"No," Robin hissed. "If we run, they'll know we know they're there. Act like nothing's wrong. Superboy keep an eye on them. We can make it to the main street before they catch up but we can't panic."

"They cannot get their hands on Cay," Jack replied venomously as we all walked slowly towards the far end of the alley, away from the armed goon squad.

"I know that," Robin said softly. "You think we'd let that happen?"

Jack stared straight ahead, his face unreadable.

"Jack?" I said timidly.

"Thinking," he said absently his face still blank. "One minute."

"The squad is moving," Superboy growled. "Moving down the stairwell of the building. They're about fifteen floors above ground level."

"Have they left anyone on top of the building," Jack asked suddenly. "A lookout?"

Superboy shook his head. "No."

"Run," Jack instructed, pushing me roughly forward. Robin went to protest but Jack cut him off with a glare. "They have no way of knowing we are running. If we stay at this pace our chances of getting out of here are slim. Run and we risk alerting them. They're still at least two minutes away from reaching street level. We need to put as much distance between us and them. Cay, run."

I obliged and he kept pace beside me as Megan, Superboy and Robin followed behind us. Robin called directions, as we retraced our route back to the main street.

"They've reached street level," Superboy informed us as we rounded a corner.

"Left!" Robin cried. "We're almost there."

Jack and I darted down a narrow alley. The far end opened onto the main street. Relief flooded through me. We had made it. I slowed my pace as we neared the opening.

"Superboy," Jack puffed. "Are they still following?"

Superboy looked at the wall to his left. "Yes."

"C'mon," I grabbed Jack's hand and towed him into the street.

Megan, Superboy and Robin followed close behind.

"They won't follow us into the crowd toting guns," I hissed to Jack as we matched the pace of the people around us. "Tess won't want to draw attention to herself."

Superboy looked back through the crowd. "They're coming down the alley."

"Why are they still following?" Megan asked worriedly.

I didn't know the answer to her question. I looked back over my shoulder, expecting to see the commando team burst out of the alley guns blazing. But they didn't. Instead a solitary figure emerged and swiftly melted into the crowd.

"Superboy, what was that?"

"I don't know, the squad is gone. They were just-"

"Walk faster," Jack hissed in my ear, cutting him off. He extricated himself from my grip and stepped out of the flow of civilians.

"Jack get back here," I demanded as I was pushed away from him down the sidewalk.

"Take her back to the Cave," he instructed Megan as she passed him. "And toss me that hard drive. Tess wants it almost as much as she wants her."

"How do you know?" she asked retrieving it from her satchel and tossing it to him.

"I just do," he replied, his expression softening as he caught the box.

"Jack!" I shouted, trying to force my way back through the crowd. Why were all these people such jerks, they wouldn't let me through. "What are you doing!"

He smiled slightly and tucked the drive into his jacket. "Don't worry about me Cay. I'm just going to buy you enough time to get out of here. I'll call you tomorrow, okay? And I promise I'll bring back the drive."

"No! Not okay. Come with us!" I cried, still pushing my way through the crowd. I was making little progress.

"Sorry kid." He slipped back into the crowd and slid out onto the street.

I lost sight of him as he weaved his way across the street and melted into the crowd on the opposite sidewalk. I scanned the people behind us as three men and a girl quickly followed suit.

"Cay, c'mon," Megan said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Jack will be alright."

"He's an idiot," I hissed angrily. "Whoever they are, they'll kill him."

"He's lasted this long on his own," Superboy said walking past me. "You aren't giving him enough credit."

I slipped into a sullen silence as I let Megan pull me along after her. Robin followed behind us, glancing over his shoulder every so often to make sure we weren't being followed.

"You should call your butler," I said gloomily. "Megan have you called the bioship?"

She nodded. "I already have. It's waiting above the alley beside city hall."

"And I'm coming back with you guys to the Cave," Robin said. "Training with Canary tonight, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, "I almost forgot."

And that was that. Jack had disappeared, trying to play the hero. I was worried about him and couldn't sit still on the ride back to mountain. Megan kept glancing worriedly and I could just tell Robin was watching me out of the corner of his eye. Superboy was the only one who wasn't paying me any attention. But he had crazy X-ray vision, for all I knew he could be watching me. As we neared the Cave I had had enough.

"Would you two stop it!" I cried. "I'm worried about Jack, but I'll be fine okay?"

Megan looked guiltily at the floor as her skin changed back to normal. "He's out of my telepathic range now but when we were back in Gotham he was okay. He has a very... interesting mind."

"Interesting eh?" I said, smiling slightly. "Thanks Megan."

She nodded happily. "Yes, he's very interesting. It was almost like there was... more of... you know it's hard to explain. He has a complex mind, and he was only thinking of you."

I nodded as the bioship began to descend. Suddenly Black Canary's voice echoed through the command deck.

"Once you have docked and changed report to Command for training."

I sighed. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

I fell into bed six hours later exhausted. Wally and Kaldur were waiting with Canary in the Command Room when the rest of us filed in. Canary paired us off, Superboy and Robin, Wally and Kal, then Megan and I. Neither of us had any experience with hand to hand combat so Canary began teaching us the basics while she ran the others through drill after drill to fix their technique. When they began sparring she paired Megan and I each with a punching bag to start learning how to kick properly. We ended the session with a 2 1/2 mile run up and down the beach.

By the time I managed to crawl back to the Command Room to be dismissed I was so tired I didn't even want dinner. I only had enough energy to stagger up to my room, strip out of my sweaty clothes, shower and then fall onto my mattress. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

The next morning I was awoken by Robin pounding on my door.

"Cay! Open up! Cay, are you alive?" he called, resuming his assault on my door.

I pulled my pillow over my head. _Go away,_ I thought miserably. Every muscle ached.

"I'm respecting your privacy and not picking the lock which would be much faster! Open the door! There's no way you could sleep through this." Pound, pound, pound.

I threw my pillow on the ground and rolled out of bed. I stalked to the door and pulled it open.

"What do you want?' I cried, my voice hoarse.

Megan appeared beside him holding up a black and green striped bikini. "Beach party!" She crowed.

I stared at the two of them, dumbfounded. "What?'

"We're going to the beach," Robin said. "Get changed, Kal and Supey are waiting downstairs."

I perked up at the mention of Kal. I grabbed the swimsuit Megan was holding. Beach party meant Kaldur in swim trunks. I was so down for this it wasn't even funny.

"I'll be right out."

"Great!" Megan cried, grabbing Robin's arm. "Let's get the hotdogs from the kitchen."

He nodded and they walked off down the hall as I shut my door. Throwing the bikini on my bed as I stripped out of my pyjamas and changed into it. I threw open the door to my bathroom and looked critically at myself in the mirror. The bikini was a nice cut, tying up behind the neck. I nodded, it was Cay approved, and grabbed a pair of shorts out of the bags of clothes Jack had given me. I pulled them on as I hopped out into the hallway.

Jogging down to the kitchen I bumped into Robin as he came out the door carrying three packages of hot dog buns.

"That was fast," he said as we made our way to the door that opened onto the beach. "You like the beach or what?"

"Something like that," I said as we approached Megan.

"Superboy and Kaldur just took the beach chairs and volleyball net out to set up," she said. "Ready?"

I grinned. I sure was. "Let's go."

Megan entered a code on the panel next to the door and it slid soundlessly up into the ceiling. Blinking in the bright sunlight the three of us stepped out onto the beach, Megan pulling a cooler and Robin still carrying the hot dog buns. Kal and Superboy were in the middle of setting up the volleyball net as we approached.

"Morning," I said cheerily my gaze resting on Kaldur.

Clad only in swim trunks he was quite the sight.

"Good morning Cay," he replied tying off his end of the net and turning towards me.

I hadn't thought it was possible but today he was looking far more attractive than usual. I groaned inwardly. I should have just stayed in bed. This was torture, plain and simple. If he was gay or he had a girlfriend he should really not have been allowed to walk around looking so god awfully gorgeous.

"Good for almost all of us," Robin said sadly.

"Poor Wally," Megan added.

"Where's Wally?" I asked.

"In school," Robin supplied raising his free hand to his chest. "A moment of silence for our absent comrade."

"Well maybe he shouldn't be an overachiever and go to school in the summer," I grinned.

"More like a slacker who has to go to school in the summer to bump up his grades," he replied a smile spreading across his face. "Sucks to be Wally, let's have some fun!"

I nodded and went to help him and Megan unpack all the beach stuff they had somehow assembled over night. As I was inflating the beach ball I thought guiltily of Jack. Here I was having fun and ogling Kaldur while he could be dead in a ditch. I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and checked to see if he had called. Nothing.

I finished inflating the ball and placed it next to me on the sand. Megan and Robin had run off with Superboy to go for a swim as Kal finished with the volleyball court. I looked over to where the net was erected but he was gone. I frowned. He had been there a minute ago. I looked over to where Superboy, Megan and Robin were swimming. He wasn't there either.

"You look worried, Cay."

I jumped and turned to see him lower himself into the beach chair beside me.

"Uh- do I really?" I stammered, slipping my phone into my pocket. "Nah, I'm fine. Just the, uh, sun. Makes me... uh... squint and I guess that makes me look worried. Weird."

"You are a terrible liar," he said.

I smiled half-heartedly.

"Jack still hasn't phoned," I said after a moment, looking down the beach. "I'm worried about him."

He remained silent as Megan waded back through the water towards us.

"Cay, come for a swim!" she called. "The water is so warm!"

I shook my head. "I'm good."

She shrugged and turned back to Superboy and Robin.

"Perhaps this is just what you need," Kaldur said placing a hand on my shoulder. "Do not allow yourself to dwell on the negatives."

My eyes met his and I froze. I leaned into his hand as I tried to think of something to say. We were so close. I felt my face redden as I stood up and turned away from him.

"Maybe you're right," I said. "Maybe-"

My phone rang. I have never been happier to take a call.

"Sorry, I have to take this."

He nodded as I backed away, fishing the phone out of my pocket. It was Jack. I flipped it open, relief flooding through me.

"Jack?"

"Hey kiddo," he chortled.

"What were you thinking?" I hissed all the anger and anxiety from the day before welling up inside of me.

"I would love to go into details," he said dryly, "but frankly my thought process is quite difficult to explain."

"You're not funny," I muttered.

"Who's laughing?"

I let out a disgruntled sigh. "Who were those people chasing us?"

"I really don't see why it matters," he replied.

"They were trying to kill me!"

"You don't know that."

"Actually, I do. Why else would a group of armed men be hiding on a rooftop right outside of the building my father has hidden a drive containing all his important files?" I asked heatedly. He was hiding something. I waited for him to respond. "Jack?"

"The men on the roof top were employed by Tess," he replied quietly. "The others, the group on the street, were too. And they were arguably more dangerous. This time they were after the hard drive, not you. But that doesn't mean Tess wouldn't send them after you... Cay, you're powerful. I know you can hold your own. You've proven that by getting this far but they're even stronger. You aren't ready to face people like that."

I glanced at Kaldur. He was watching me carefully.

"I wouldn't face them alone," I replied.

Jack sighed. "It doesn't matter. You wouldn't stand a chance. Even alongside your new team."

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence."

"I don't mean it like that!" he cried in exasperation. "You need to be careful Cay. Choose your battles, live to fight another day and all that."

I paused. He had a point and for now I'd let it lie. But only for now. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," he replied after a moment. "I am."

"Good."

There was silence on the end of the line.

"I still think you're an idiot," I snapped. He wasn't getting off that easy.

"I can live with that," he laughed. "Do you want me to drop off the drive today?"

"Nah, we're at the beach. I won't have time to look at it."

"At the beach?" he asked in disbelief. "With who?"

"The team... minus Wally."

"Well isn't that sweet," he said happily. "Look at you, making friends. Remember, don't produce the gel anywhere near the water. Unless you want to instigate catastrophic apoptosis, then I would say go right ahead."

"Apop-what now?"

"Cell suicide. The introduction of water into your hydrocarbon production centers automatically triggers the cell to destroy itself," he explained. "Hence why you should really avoid water at all costs."

"That is a terrifying concept and now I really don't want to go swimming," I informed him. "Thanks."

"You can still go swimming. Just don't go swimming while producing the gel!"

"Jack, you are always so full of great advice," I grinned. "Would you like to remind me not to stick utensils in the wall sockets?"

"Oh you're funny," he chuckled. "I'll bring the drive over tomorrow okay kid?"

"Thanks Jack."

"No problem. See you later!"

"Bye."

The connection broke with a click and I closed my phone. I turned back to Kal. He was still watching me.

"Jack's fine," I informed him, "and he has the hard drive."

"That is good," he replied. "You look relieved."

"So many things could have gone wrong. I'm glad nothing did." I nodded towards where the others were swimming. "Want to join them?"

He smiled. "Sure."

* * *

The day went by too fast. We played volleyball, swam, cooked hotdogs on a portable grill Megan had found somewhere, we even buried Superboy in the sand. And he didn't try and kill us. Maybe Megan was right about him. I was starting to believe it. He just kept being so... nice. I guess it just took him a while to accept the fact that he's stuck with us. The day was a lot of fun. But there was one thing that was nagging at me. Kaldur. I felt like I should say something to him. But what? It was irritating and I had to keep reminding myself of the odds stacked against what I wanted. What would be, would be, as Miss Spruce used to say.

The sun was setting by the time we began to pack everything up. I helped Megan carry the grill and cooler back inside through the door in the cliff face as the guys packed up the volleyball net and chairs. Megan and I dropped the cooler in the kitchen and tucked the grill underneath the sink.

"Cay, can I ask you something?" she said suddenly.

"Sure," I said, leaning against the counter.

"Do you... do you _like_ Superboy?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh man, no way. Why, did you think-"

"No!" she cried, her face flushing. "I just... you... uh..."

"Don't worry Megan, I'm not going to steal Supey away," I chuckled. "He's not really my type."

She smiled, relief evident on her face. "Well then what is your type?"

I shrugged. "I don't really-"

My voice caught in my throat as Kal poked his head in through the doorway. My face grew hot as I tried to maintain my outer visage of calm. Megan, meet my 'type' personified.

"Batman and Red Tornado have arrived. They have a mission for the team," he said. "They want us all in the Command Room in five minutes."

"This means suits doesn't it?" I sighed.

"Indeed," he replied.

He disappeared back into the hall. Megan was watching me closely.

"What?" I asked as we walked out of the kitchen.

"Nothing," she replied with a shake of her head. "I'll meet you back here okay?"

I nodded and she floated down the hall. I couldn't believe she thought I was crushing on Superboy. I grinned as I approached my door. Crazy. Tromping into my room I knelt down beside the bags and dug through them looking for the suit Jack had synthesized. My fingers grasped the slippery black fabric at the bottom of the pile. I yanked it out, a pair of shorts and some shirts accompanying it, and held it up in front of me. The colour scheme was much more acceptable. Black and grey with only a hint of gaudy red. I could live with that.

I stood up and sauntered into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I changed into the suit. I hadn't noticed before but the bottom wasn't a swimsuit cut like I had thought. It descended down my legs ending a third of the way down my thighs. I liked it. Exiting the bathroom I grabbed the belt Miss Spruce had given me with the other suit. As I began to wrap it around me the baton I had retrieved the day before caught my eye. I tucked it into a strap on the belt. I reasoned it might come in handy. I finished strapping the belt around my waist as I pushed the door of my room open and stepped into the hall.

I made my way down to the kitchen where Megan was waiting, as promised.

"I love your new suit!" She gushed. "I can't believe Jack made you this stuff!"

"Yeah," I grinned. "It's pretty awesome. But so is being able to manipulate your clothes at will. That way you don't need someone to make you fashionable fire-proof clothing."

"I guess you're right," she laughed. "Ready?"

"Of course."

We were walking into the Command Room moments later. Batman and Red Tornado were standing by the computer complex with Kal, Superboy and Robin before them.

"You're still missing a member," Batman noted as Megan and I joined the guys.

"Wally is on his way," Robin informed him.

"Good."

We stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes until the metallic voice announced the arrival of Green Arrow and someone named Artemis. Everyone turned towards the transporter as Green Arrow and his companion materialized. Artemis was a tall blonde girl. She was wearing a skimpy green and yellow outfit and had a quiver and bow strung across her back. They walked towards us.

"Batman, Tornado," Green Arrow acknowledged.

"Team, Green Arrow you know," Batman said. "The girl. Your new team mate, is Artemis."

She stood firmly rooted to the spot as Robin's gaze rested on her quiver.

"You're an archer," he said.

"Uh, yeah," she replied sarcastically. "Duh."

"Could I see one of your arrows?" he asked, ignoring her tone.

Artemis looked to Green Arrow and he inclined his head slightly. In one swift movement she had removed an arrow from her quiver and was holding it out to Robin. He took it from her outstretched hand and examined the arrow head. I looked over his shoulder. There was something familiar about its design.

"Amazo," Robin said simply handing it back.

She looked at him, confusion plain on her face as she returned the arrow to her quiver. "What?"

"Of course!" I cried. "Wally and Robin thought it was Green Arrow watching us but it was you! You saved Wally from Amazo."

"Well," she replied slowly. "I wasn't going to stand by and-"

Artemis was interrupted by the poorly timed arrival of Wally.

"Kid Flash B03," the metallic voice intoned.

He materialized a moment later his arms full of beach paraphernalia.

"The Wall-man is here!" he cried. "Now let's get this party started!"

His sandal caught on the floor and he fell onto his face, the cooler, umbrella, buckets and beach ball went flying through the air. I glanced at Megan. She was watching him with concern. I was concerned too. That fall could damage the few functioning brain cells he had left. How had he even known we were going to the beach?

"Sorry, Wall-man," Robin chuckled. "You're a little bit late. Party finished a while ago."

"Wall-man, huh?" Artemis scoffed. "Nice uniform. What exactly are your powers?"

"Uh... who's this?" Wally asked, looking uncertainly to Batman.

"Artemis," he replied, "your new team mate."

Wally picked himself up off the ground and stared suspiciously at her. "Kid Flash. Never heard of you."

"She's my new protégé," Green Arrow supplied.

"What happened to your old one?" Wally cried.

The metallic voice cut off Green Arrow's response. "Speedy B06."

An angry looking guy wearing a red sleeveless shirt stomped into the Command Room. Even with the mask on he was kind of cute.

"Well for one thing," he growled, "he doesn't go by Speedy anymore. Call me Red Arrow."

I suppressed a giggle. Who decides to call themselves Speedy? Ridiculous. No wonder he wanted a new identity.

Green Arrow looked shocked. "Roy, you look-"

"Replaceable," the youth hissed.

"It's not like that!" Green Arrow protested. "You told me you were going solo."

"So why waste time finding a sub," he said bitterly. "Can she even use that bow?"

Artemis' expression turned stormy. "Yes _she_ can," she replied, stalking up to Roy.

"Who are you?" Wally interrupted as the two glared daggers at each other.

Arrow and Artemis responded in tandem. The garbled response sounded like: "She's my niece" or "I'm his niece" or "I like fleece". Since the last had nothing to do with Wally's question I assumed that the first two were closer to the truth.

Roy was glaring angrily at Artemis and Green Arrow as Kaldur stepped forward.

"You misunderstand. She is not your replacement," he said. "We have always wanted you on the team. We have no quota on archers."

Looking past Kaldur Roy's gaze rested on me.

"And who's this?" he asked harshly. "Another replacement?"

"Caelyn Tare," I responded tightly. What a jerk. Pretty face, shame about the personality. Or lack thereof.

He grunted and turned to Batman. Apparently I wasn't worth his time. I crossed my arms and stood back to watch the proceedings.

"C'mon Roy," Wally said. "Even if we had a quota on archers you know who we'd choose."

"Whatever Baywatch," Artemis snorted. "I'm here to stay."

"You came to us for a reason," Kaldur said to Roy, ignoring Wally and Artemis.

Wally shot her a final angry look and walked over to stand by the rest of us.

Roy nodded. "Yes, a reason called Sterling Roquette."

I was surprised. I knew who they were talking about. She was a child prodigy in the scientific community. My father had brought her up almost every time we met. I think he wished I could have been more like her. Fat chance of that.

"Nano-robotics genius and Claytronics expert at the Royal University in Star City," Robin said, tapping away at the projected screen on his wrist device. Moments later Dr. Roquette's information appeared on the computer screens behind us. "Vanished two weeks ago."

"Abducted two weeks ago by the League of Shadows," Roy corrected.

And so ended my feeling of being in the loop. I had never heard of the League of Shadows in my life.

"You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?" Robin asked excitedly.

"Hardcore," Wally grinned.

Apparently these Shadows were a big deal. Robin and Wally looked ecstatic about the prospect of going toe to toe with them.

"I already rescued her," Roy informed them, walking up to the computer screens and pulling up an image of a bug-like robot, "only one problem. The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon." He motioned to the robots. "Doc calls it 'The Fog'. It's comprised of millions of microscopic robots, nanotech infiltrators, capable of disintegrating anything in their path; concrete, steel, flesh, bone. But it's true purpose isn't destruction, it's theft. The infiltrators can store raw data from computer systems and deliver the stolen intel to the shadows. Providing the access to weapons, strategic defence, cutting edge science and tech."

"Perfect for extortion and manipulation, power broking," said Artemis knowingly. "Yeah, sounds like the Shadows."

"Like you know anything about the Shadows," Wally scoffed.

"I don't know anything about the Shadows, Wally," I added as Artemis smirked.

"Yeah, well, you're _you_, Cay," he reasoned with a wink. "It's all good."

I rolled my eyes. "That makes no sense."

"Does he ever make sense?" Artemis asked.

"I've been here for almost a month and so far, nope," I replied with a grin.

"Cay," Wally groaned.

"Sorry, Wall-man. Am I cramping your style?"

"Roquette's working on a virus to destroy The Fog," Roy interrupted irritably shooting me an exasperated glare.

"And the Shadows, whoever they are, know she can do this?" I asked glaring straight back.

Roy nodded and looked back at the computer screens. "The Shadows will target her. Right now she's off the grid. I stashed her at a local high school's computer lab."

"You left her alone?" Green Arrow demanded.

"She's safe," Roy replied stonily, "for now."

"Then let's you and I keep her that way."

Roy gave a short bark of laughter. "You and I? Don't you want to take your new protégé?"

Green Arrow made to step forward but Batman stopped him.

"You brought this to the team," he conceded, casting a glance back at Artemis. "It's their mission, which means it's hers now too."

"Then my job is done," Roy snorted turning on his heel and advancing towards the transporter.

The metallic voice intoned his, Speedy's, imminent departure.

"That's Red Arrow, B06 update," he interrupted irritably as he stepped through the transporter and disappeared.

Way to stick it to the computerized recognition software Roy. I rolled my eyes. What a total jerk. I turned my attention to Wally who was glaring suspiciously at Artemis.

"Wally can you please go get changed," I sighed. "Under normal circumstances it's kind of hard to take you seriously. The board shorts and sun screen on your nose are making it next to impossible."

"Hey," he complained, "the Wall-man is on exhibition for your enjoyment."

"Please put a shirt on Wally," I said, gagging just a little.

"Fine," he grumbled, "I'll go change."

"Thank you."

Artemis tittered with laughter as he walked out of the room. Megan was watching her out of the corner of her eye as Batman, Red Tornado and Green Arrow made for the transporter.

"We will expect a full report upon completion of the mission," Batman said, looking to Kaldur.

"Of course," he replied as the three heroes vanished in a burst of light. Turning to us he addressed the assembled members of the team. "Robin, can you find Wally and bring him to the bioship bay? Please ensure he is dressed for the mission."

"Will do," Robin replied walking out of the room, tinkering with his wrist device.

"The rest of you, follow me," Kal said.

He strode out the door beside the computer that led to the bioship bay, followed closely by Superboy, Megan, Artemis and me.

"So, what exactly do you do?" Artemis asked, falling into step beside me.

"Pardon?"

"Your powers," she said. "I'm assuming you have powers because you're here but I haven't seen you on the News before. Him either." She inclined her head in Superboy's direction. "What's your deal?"

"Yeah, I'm new to the whole 'hero' thing," I replied smiling slightly. " I'm the team's incendiary expert."

She raised an eyebrow but didn't probe any further. I wanted to ask her where she had come from. Green Arrow's niece my foot. That was the flimsiest cover story ever. She was definitely hiding something.

As we approached the bioship bay Wally and Robin came tearing down the opposite branch of the hallway.

They screeched to a halt as they approached us, Robin evidently out of breath.

"Beat you Rob, and I wasn't even trying," Wally boasted, winking at Megan.

"Yeah, well you have super speed," Robin puffed. "The fact that I can keep up with you is impressive enough that I am the clear winner."

"You two are really something you know that?" Artemis said as Megan woke up the bioship.

"Ready," Megan chirped as a ramp descended from the hull.

"Cool," Artemis breathed.

"Yeah," I said, following close behind Kaldur as we boarded the ship. "If you think that's impressive wait 'til you see what she can do with her outfit."

Megan grinned. "Thanks Cay."

* * *

We were airborne moments later. The flight to the Happy Harbour High School was short, giving Wally minimal time to think up something really irritating to do. Kal and Robin tried to formulate a plan but, as I pointed out, without knowing anything about Roquette or her virus it was difficult to establish anything concrete.

With the bioship in stealth mode Megan landed it in the shadow of the school's gymnasium and we all filed out. It was a fancy place. A lot higher class than the dump I had gone to school in. As we made our way into the lobby I felt a pang of guilt. I hadn't spoken to my friends in almost a month. I pushed the thought from my mind, I had to focus on the mission at hand, but I made a mental note to text both Myr and Cam when I got back to the Cave.

Kaldur stopped when we were all safely inside the building.

"Miss Martian, Superboy, Robin, I want the three of you on perimeter. Cay, Kid, Artemis, you're with me. We're going to find Roquette," he instructed.

Megan nodded as she, Superboy and Robin turned to leave.

"Don't you think Meg-Miss Martian should link us all up," I suggested. "I'm pretty sure if the Shadows are as resourceful as you say they'll hack our ear pieces in seconds. Plus mine's still broken. Which may make communicating with it difficult."

"A good point," Kal said. "Miss Martian?"

Megan smiled as her voice sounded in my head.

_Everyone online?_

There were a chorus of 'yes's from the team.

_This is so weird_, Artemis's voice echoed through my head. _Can you really all hear me?_

"Yes," Wally and I replied in unison.

He grinned. "I think you and me are functioning on the same wavelength, Cay. We have a serious connection."

"Oh please," Artemis sighed. "You are so full of it."

"If by 'it' you mean awesomeness, then yes. I am full of it," Wally responded seamlessly.

Artemis uttered a disgruntled snort before stomping off down the darkened corridor leading out of the lobby.

_Maintain contact_, Kaldur instructed as our two groups split up, _if there is any evidence of a perimeter breach alert us immediately_.

_Will do_, Robin replied.

_Am I losing it or are you all really in my head?_ This was a voice I didn't recognize. Judging by Kal's reaction he didn't recognize it either.

_I'm going to venture a guess and say you're Doctor Roquette_, I thought as we continued down the hallway after Artemis. _Where did Speedy stash you? _

_We have been sent to help you_, Kaldur interjected.

"I'm in here."

The four of us spun around as a short blonde woman's head appeared in the doorway of one of the many classrooms. She adjusted her glasses and looked us all up and down.

"Well come in," she said stiffly. "I don't have all day."

Kal nodded and walked in through the door she was holding open. Wally slipped in after me, followed by Artemis.

"I am Aqualad," Kal said, introducing himself to the scientist.

"Kid Flash," Wally supplied.

"Artemis." I couldn't help but notice her unenthused tone.

"I'm Cay," I added.

_What you don't get an alias?_ Artemis's voice resounded in my head, distracting me from what Kaldur was saying to Roquette.

_I haven't needed one,_ I replied. _Now don't use this link unless it's important! It's distracting having your voice in my head._

_I agree._ I recognized the voice of Dr. Roquette. She was seated at a computer and was glaring daggers at Artemis and I.

_Coding a distributed virus algorithm on a kiddy computer with less RAM then a wristwatch is hard enough,_ she complained. _With your whole team echoing around in my head I can hardly hear myself think!_

"Well maybe we should just cut you out of the loop entirely," Artemis suggested sourly.

"Wouldn't that be a treat," Roquette hissed under her breath.

_Lady do you always complain when someone tries to help you?_ Wally's voice interrupted my thoughts. He was sitting across the room eating a chocolate bar.

_Pot, kettle, have you met? _Artemis looked meaningfully from Wally to Roquette as I tried to muffle a laugh.

_Hey, I do not need attitude from the rookie who drove Red Arrow off the team! _His voice echoed painfully through my head.

_Wally volume! _I protested.

_Sorry,_ he replied with an apologetic grin. _But she started it!_

_The whole thing with Red Arrow is so not on me_, Artemis pointed out. _So don't even-_

_Fate of the world at stake,_ Roquette interjected.

_Ugh, how about I just go help with perimeter._ Artemis walked out the classroom door pointedly ignoring Wally.

_Good plan, _I replied.

_Yes, _Kaldur agreed.

I looked over to where he was standing. Arms crossed across his chest he looked a little frustrated with the behaviour of the team. Not that I could blame him Wally was being a total pain.

_You might want to cut her some slack_. Robin's voice filled my head as Wally looked around. _It was her arrow that saved you from Amazo_.

_What? No!_ His disbelief was plainly evident. _That was Speedy, I mean, Red Arrow's arrow... right?_

_Not so much_, Robin replied.

_Well... I'm still not giving her the satisfaction_, Wally finished.

_I can still hear you_, Artemis informed him.

Wally groaned and dropped his head into his hands. Roquette rolled her eyes as I sat down on the desk across from where she was working.

_I couldn't have got the Justice League? _she thought grumpily.

_How much less fun would that have been,_ I grinned at her. She stared back, unimpressed.

Sighing she continued tapping away at the keyboard. A few minutes later Kaldur walked up behind her.

_The virus will not be of much use if we cannot find the weapon,_ his voice echoed through all our heads as Roquette look up at him over her shoulder. _Can you track it?_

_My utility fog is not a weapon, _she replied testily. _It's science, brilliant science, and of course I can track it. But I'd have to go online. _She looked back to the computer screen. _I might as well rent a billboard with the address and 'Assassinate Me' written in neon. _

_I'm guessing modesty isn't one of your strong suits,_ Wally supplied.

_And I'm guessing brilliance isn't one of yours,_ Roquette replied, glaring at him around the computer monitor.

_Why are we all communicating through Megan's link? _I thought suddenly, _Wouldn't it be easier for all of us just to vocalize what we're thinking?_

_The Shadows may have this place bugged_, Robin informed me after a moment. 

_Pardon? _I asked.

_Listening devices. _Robin supplied. _The Shadows may have this place bugged or they could have tech that would allow them to listen in on our conversations. The mental link keeps them in the dark._

_Well that makes sense_, I replied. _Thanks for clearing that up Robin._

_No worries Cay, _he replied.

I looked to Roquette who was staring at her monitor blankly. _I can't go online..._

Kaldur placed a hand on her shoulder. _We will protect you._

She nodded slightly and began tapping away at the keyboard again. _Tracking Fog now._

I sighed and slid off the desk. _I'm going for a sweep of the halls._

_Stay alert,_ Kaldur reminded, watching me as I approached the door. _If you notice anything unusual-_

_Alert the rest of the team,_ I finished with a small smile. _Got it._

He nodded, his brow furrowed. I hoped he would say more but as I slid out the door there was nothing forthcoming. Walking down the dark hall I checked in all the classrooms. There was no one there. I sighed and continued my sweep.

Suddenly Artemis's voice filled my head. _Mmm, that boy._

_He can hear you. We can all hear you_, Megan interjected.

I assumed they were talking about Superboy. Artemis would have been wise not to go there. Megan was all over that boy.

_Oh, I know_, Artemis responded smugly.

As I rounded the corner a shadow passed over my face. I flung myself up against the wall, my heart pounding. _There's someone outside the window on the South side of the building._

_Sorry_, Superboy thought, _that was me._

I pushed myself off the wall, my face flushing. _Oh, okay._

_Miss Martian, _Kal's voice echoed, _Dr. Roquette has located the Fog. Reconfigure the bioship so that Robin and Superboy can pursue._

I reached the end of the hallway and turned to return to the computer lab. Another shadow passed the windows.

_Superboy are you still on the South side of the building?_ I asked.

_He's out of my telepathic range,_ Megan responded after a moment. _He and Robin have taken the bioship._

I paused as the shadow again flashed over the window. There was someone there. I tore down the hallway, my boots pounding against the floor.

_Kaldur there's someone outside the school. _

_Miss Martian, Artemis,_ his voice boomed, _perimeter sweep. Now!_

I skidded into the computer lab, slamming into Wally as he came through the door.

"Sorry," I apologized, sliding past him.

"No worries beautiful," he grinned as he moved out into the hall.

Despite the insane urge I had to smack him I restrained myself. I looked to Roquette who was hammering away at the keyboard. Kaldur was still standing behind her. My gaze rested on him for just a second too long and he looked up.

_Cay?_

_Nothing! How's the virus coming along Doc?_ I asked, hurriedly turning away to hide the blush rising in my cheeks.

_Fine, _Roquette replied irritably.

The door of the computer lab creaked. A flash of white caught my eye.

"Get down!" I cried, launching myself at Roquette as a throwing star arced across the room.

I knocked her out of the chair as Kaldur moved in front of us. He caught the projectiles in the shoulder. I gasped but he ignored them and looked to where the stars had come from. A tall, dark haired woman wearing a cat-like mask appeared in the doorway. In her hands were a multitude of throwing stars. Her mask leered eerily in the light the monitors cast.

"Keep the Doctor safe," Kal muttered, catching three more throwing stars with the back of his forearm. That couldn't be good for him.

"I will," I replied breathlessly.

I shoved Roquette under the desk and out the other side. _Back door, now!_ I thought, giving her another encouraging push to the back of the room.

"Alright!" She cried scrabbling forward on her hands and knees.

_Stay low. _I looked back to Kal. He had a glowing sword in either hand and the tattoos running the lengths of his arms were alight.

The assassin watched as he pulled the stars from his arm.

"Well that must have hurt," she purred.

"Atlantean skin is quite dense," he responded, parrying more of her flying projectiles.

She rushed towards him, having exhausted her supply of stars she brandished two nasty looking knives, one in each hand.

_Megan, Kid, Artemis, we are under attack. Computer lab, _his voice echoed through my head as I crawled after Roquette.

_On our way_, Artemis replied.

The woman continued her relentless assault as we neared the door. As I reached it I tried turning the handle but it refused to budge.

"Locked," I hissed in frustration.

I looked back to Kal and his opponent as she caught him in the jaw with her foot and flipped him to the ground.

"Aqualad!" I cried. The woman turned towards us, sheathing one of her knives and brandishing a handful of projectiles.

Roquette was frozen to the spot. I shoved her underneath one of the computer desks as the assassin aimed a barrage of stars where we were kneeling. Rolling out of the way and onto my feet I let the gel coat my hands and arms. I looked down at the rings on my fingers. If they didn't work I had my lighter in my belt. I really hoped they would work.

I placed my hands together and dragged the rings across one another. The gel ignited and the fire spread up my arms.

"Oh, isn't tonight just full of surprises," the masked woman chuckled.

She moved towards me, somehow I dodged the throwing stars she released and was able to throw my two handfuls of burning gel. She shrieked as one made contact with her hip and began furiously trying to extinguish it. As the last flames went out she looked up. Behind the mask I'm sure she was furious.

"Better help your friend," she hissed spitefully as Kaldur pushed himself to his feet. "Poison looks like it's slowing him down."

I glared at her as Kal lunged towards her. She parried his advances and he glanced towards me.

"Jellyfish toxin," he explained. "I am largely immune."

The assassin cackled with laughter. I really didn't find anything about the situation funny. Maybe that's why I was on the team _not_ trying to kill the scientist.

Kal knocked the knives from her hands. In response she kicked him in the chest, sending him flying back onto the desk under which Roquette was still hiding. I moved in. Dodging her attacks I was able to land a few well aimed punches, singeing her robes. She attempted to kick my feet out from under me but I dodged. Unfortunately I wasn't as quick dodging her left fist. She caught me in the jaw and sent me careening back into one of the school's computers.

"Whoops, did that hurt?" She asked retrieving her knives as Kaldur rejoined the fight.

I had to admit. It really did. My head was spinning as I pushed myself off the desk. My arms had gone out but I was too dazed to reignite them. Kal had locked his swords with her knives and their faces were inches away from one another.

"Slowing down yet?" She asked conversationally.

"As I have said, I am largely immune," Kal growled.

She rammed her forehead against his with a resounding crack. The force of it sent him flying backwards and he landed on the tiled floor with a dull thud. She went to bring her knife down on his chest as I hurled myself off the desk and into her side. Knocking her off balance she dropped the knife and slid from my grasp, kneeing me in the ribs for good measure. Winded I dropped to the knees.

Artemis burst through the door as the assassin retrieved her knives. Firing an arrow she knocked the weapon from her opponent's hand.

"Don't move," she said in a dangerously low voice. "Cay, you okay?"

I nodded, rising to my feet, and shuffled back towards Kal. He pulled himself off the floor and retrieved his sword hilts.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I nodded again. "You?"

"Fine."

I relit my hands and arms and moved to stand next to him. The assassin looked from Artemis, to Kal, to me.

"This gig is getting interesting," she murmured gleefully as she produced a sword from the folds of her robe.

She was like a walking ninja armoury and it was getting a little worrisome. What was she going to pull out of her robes next? A rocket launcher? Not really her style but you never know...

Artemis fired a handful of arrows that were easily parried. I felt a rush of air behind me as Wally appeared beside the desk Roquette was still under. Megan floated in moments later. Artemis knocked another arrow as the assassin glanced around the room.

"... maybe a little too interesting," she muttered, lowering her sword.

Wally took a running leap, arms outstretched, intent on tackling her to the ground. She saw him coming, dropped a smoke bomb and - nothing. Wally passed straight through the smoke and smack-dab into Artemis who made a disgusted noise and pushed him away.

"Gone," Wally sighed looking around the room for some sign of our absent opponent.

Roquette crawled out from under the desk and stalked up to Kaldur.

"She's getting away!" she raged. "You're letting her get away!"

Wally turned on Artemis pointing an finger accusingly at her. "This is all your fault. You were on perimeter, how'd that Shadow get in?"

She narrowed her eyes and bit back a retort she obviously wanted to voice.

"That's not really fair," Megan said, stepping up beside Artemis. "I was outside too."

Wally hesitated. "Outside being distracted by her! Besides, I can't be mad at you."

_You gave me mouth to mouth_, he added silently.

_We heard that_, everyone chorused.

"Dang it!"

"And we will never un-hear it," I said, casting a glance at Megan who was a little red in the cheeks. "Thanks for that Wall-man."

"I didn't do half as well during my first battle," Megan said, turning and placing a comforting hand on Artemis's shoulder.

"We all make mistakes," I added casting a disapproving glance in Wally's direction. "Some of us just choose not to acknowledge the fact that we do."

"Focus everyone," Kaldur interrupted. "The Shadows will be back."

"Then we need to get Dr. Roquette out of here," I replied.

"As we were flying in there was a building directly on the ocean," Artemis said. "The Shadows could only attack from one direction."

"How far?" Kaldur asked.

"I don't know," she responded. "It was just before we landed so it can't be that far."

"We move. Now."

* * *

Wally went on ahead and found the building as we brought Roquette out of the school. We took a winding path through the forest to the left of the entrance and emerged a few minutes later on a street across from a dark blue building. We crossed the deserted two lane road and Wally held open the front door. My boot made a dull thud as I stepped towards the door. I looked down. The ground was covered in boards. Through the cracks I could see the water below lapping at the supports that held up the building. It was built directly over the ocean. My blood ran cold and my mind was reeling.

_It's built on the water. Literally. Perfect. This is the worst possible place for me to be. Why couldn't Artemis have spotted a building built on land? I just know this is going to end badly. _

"Cay?"

I tore my gaze away from the boards and looked up. Megan was standing in front of me with a concerned expression on her face.

"What?" I asked managing to keep my voice steady.

"We can all hear you," she said in a small voice.

"Oh."

"Perhaps this is not the best place for the doctor," Kal said, walking through the door and stopping in front of me.

"No, no, I'll just patrol the perimeter," I stammered. "Roquette's the priority."

"Roquette does not take priority over any member of my team," he replied, moving to place a hand on my shoulder.

I stepped back and he let his hand fall back to his side lines of disappointment creasing his face.

"What do you suggest?" I asked avoiding his gaze.

"Miss Martian will take on the doctor's appearance," he said slowly. "Cay, you and I will take the real Roquette to another location once she has logged on to the computer at the front desk. A location firmly rooted on land. Artemis and Kid will guard Miss M as if she were the doctor and the Shadows will hopefully be drawn here instead of Roquette's true location."

Megan nodded and disappeared back into the building leaving us alone.

"Kal-" I began.

He cut me off with a swift shake of his head. "You do not need to apologize. I understand."

I couldn't help but smile. He was so great.

"Thanks."

Roquette appeared in the doorway.

"Do you need something doctor?" I asked as Kal turned towards her.

"We're all ready," she responded with Megan's voice.

"Megan," I said uncertainly, "is that you?"

Grinning she pushed her glasses up her nose. "It sure is."

The real doctor walked up behind her and gave her double a once over. "Not bad."

"Let's go doctor," Kaldur said as Megan disappeared into the darkness of the building.

Walking towards us Roquette looked around nervously. "Why do we have to do this?"

"This building is not secure enough," he replied. "Also, having Miss Martian double for you may give us more time once the Shadows discover we have relocated."

"Look," I said, pointing down the street. "Internet cafe. Will that work?"

Roquette shrugged. "Anywhere with a computer and a stable internet connection is usable."

I looked to Kal who nodded. "Scout ahead."

Nodding my acknowledgement I jogged off down the street. Sticking to the shadows of the buildings I scanned the darkness for any sign of our pursuers. Kal and Roquette followed slowly behind me each time I indicated the way was clear. We reached the cafe without incident. I pulled a slim wire from one of the compartments on my belt and slid it into the lock on the door. With a click the door swung inward. Robin seemed to be rubbing off on me.

Roquette grinned as she walked past me. "So you do have some useful skills."

"I try," I replied lightly.

"Cay, you will stay here with the doctor while I establish a perimeter," Kal instructed remaining outside.

"But Aqualad-" I began to protest but he fixed with a steely gaze. I conceded. "Fine."

He slipped off into the darkness and I locked the door. Turning away from it I ushered Roquette to the farthest corner of the room where a computer was ready and waiting. We were far away from all the windows. She had to be safe.

"Alright doctor," I said pulling out the desk chair, "get to work."

She sat down and began typing furiously. I took a seat on the desk next to her but couldn't sit still. No one was using the mental connection Megan had linked us up with. What was happening? Was everyone okay?

I had never been very patient. Waiting for the assassins to attack was making me jumpy. I stood up and moved towards the windows, trying to catch sight of Kal. The street and woods were still. Nothing moved as I gazed up and down the street. I sighed and walked back to Roquette.

"So close," she murmured, more to herself than to me.

I sat down and began counting the tiles on the floor. When I reached 263 I stopped and began pacing from the front door to the back door. There was still no sign of Kaldur. He was so stupid. He should have let me help. Then I heard a door creak. It was barely audible. I looked to Roquette. She hadn't noticed and was still muttering to herself and typing away at the keyboard. I placed myself between her and the only two entrances of the cafe. I let the gel begin spreading up my arms as I struck the rings on together. The spark caught and my arms were swallowed up by the flames.

Alarmed, Roquette looked up. "What are you doing?"

"Keeping you safe Doc," I replied in a voice far calmer than I actually felt. "Keep working."

Over the crackling of my arms I could hear muffled footsteps coming through the storage room of the cafe. There must have been a back door. I cursed myself for being stupid enough not to check. Readying two fistfuls of gel I waited. The door I had overlooked across from Roquette's position swung inwards. I brought my arm back as Kaldur stumbled in.

"Kal?" The relief in my voice was evident as I let the flames die down to my fingertips. "What's going on?"

"The Shadows took the bait," he said thickly, rubbing the back of his head. "They have engaged Miss M, Kid and Artemis. Doctor, how much longer?"

"I've almost got it," she responded, leaning closer to the monitor.

Kal and I looked up simultaneously as the roof groaned. The flames smouldering on my fingertips grew stronger as the gel spread up my forearms. In a matter of seconds the flames licked at my shoulders.

"Uploading now!" Roquette crowed triumphantly. "And by the way you said you'd protect me!"

I ignored her and scanned the windows. "Where are they?"

In response a small metal canister rolled into the room. It began to spin rapidly, smoke issuing from either end.

Kal readied his water-bearers as I increased the production of my gel. The flames grew hotter and higher, ruffling the stray hairs that had escaped my ponytail.

"We know your limit," a familiar female voice cackled from behind us. "But how about your friend?"

Even if I had seen her I wouldn't have been able to avoid the darts. They arced through the air as I spun around, aimed straight for my chest. I braced myself for their impact. Instead I found myself pushed roughly aside as Kal moved in front of me, the darts burying themselves in his shoulder.

"Oh, now you're no fun," she sighed, producing more darts from between her fingers and sending them towards us.

Shaking his head Kal knocked them out of the air and advanced towards her. Four more darts arced through the air and buried themselves in the flesh of his right arm. He grunted and moved to sweep the assassin's feet out from under her. She jumped back, the mask leering eerily as she laughed.

"You seem like you're slowing down big boy."

With one well aimed kick she caught him in the chest and sent him flying back into the desks. He lay motionless, his breathing shallow. I advanced towards the assassin.

"Aren't you going to help your boyfriend?" she asked conversationally.

"What is on those darts?" I hissed.

"You do realize that you'll be dead in a few minutes," she said, "right? Why does it matter?"

I glared at her and pulled out the baton my father had left in the lock box from the back of my belt. Now was as good a time as any to see if it worked. Advancing towards her with it raised like a sword I began producing the gel at a rate I had never attempted before. I was so angry. For one thing, she was mocking me. For another, she had tried to kill Kal. Neither of those sat well with me. I dodged a shower of her poison darts as the flames spread up the baton. It was an impressive sight, however, its effectiveness in battle was about to be tested.

"Well isn't that interesting," she muttered. "How're you doing that?"

I brought the baton in a sweeping arc and knocked one of her knives out of her grasp.

"Magic," I hissed, swinging low and aiming for her exposed legs.

She didn't respond and instead brought her remaining knife down to block my attack. As the two weapons met the gel came away from the solid base and sprayed both of us. It burned harmlessly on my skin as she reeled away with a strangled cry.

"Upload successful!" Roquette cried jubilantly. She ducked under the desk, disappearing from my line of sight.

Frantically scraping away the burning gel the assassin's eyes behind the mask met mine.

"I won't forget this," she muttered, dropping a smoke grenade and disappearing.

I moved to follow her. She couldn't get far. I hadn't gone more than five steps before I remembered Kal. I reeled around and covered the distance between us in as few steps as possible, the flames on my arms disappearing. Dropping the baton I knelt beside where he lay. Fearing the worst I brought my face close to his. He was breathing, I realized with relief, even though it was shallow.

"Is he alright?"

I turned my head to see Roquette emerging from beneath the desk.

"Well, he's not dead," I replied, "and that's something."

There was silence as I pulled the darts from his forearm and dropped them on the ground next to us. He was bleeding, but already the flow was slowing.

"You - I thought I knew you," Roquette said suddenly. "You're William's daughter."

"Excuse me?"

"William Tare. Sorry, Dr. William Tare," she replied.

I paused and looked down at Kal. Why would she bring something like this up now?

"I am," I replied slipping his arm over my shoulder and heaving him off the ground. He was dead weight and I staggered a few steps before depositing him on one of the desks. No way was I going to be able to carry him out. I was going to need help.

Roquette continued staring at me as I tried to contact Megan through the mental link.

"You are working with the Justice League?"

I turned, my frustration mounting as I glared at her. "Why wouldn't I? I have this power so I might as well use it for something."

_Megan! Wally! Artemis! _I thought it as hard as I possibly could, turning away from her and trying to concentrate. Still I received no response.

"Well sorry, I thought that since-"

"Since what?" I interrupted.

"Oh just forget it," Roquette hissed crossing her arms and glaring at me.

I turned away from her as Kal groaned. I would deal with her later.

"Kal?" I placed a hand on his shoulder. His breathing was returning to normal.

His eyes fluttered open and he looked up at me blearily. I smiled down at him. Even in the state he was, he still made my stomach do flips. I hated to admit it. But...

"The doctor," he croaked, interrupting my train of thought.

"Is fine," I replied with a weary laugh. "You... not so much."

He sat up and I let my hand fall back to my side.

"The virus-"

"Uploaded," Roquette interrupted. "The Fog is useless now."

Nodding he looked down at his arm and to the darts by his side.

"You-"

"Yeah," I said simply. "It was the least I could do. I owe you. Again."

Smiling slightly he shook his head. "You completed the mission. We are even."

"You're impossible," I sighed as he tried to raised himself off the desk. Taking an unsteady step forward he toppled forward and into my arms. Looking up at me he regained his footing and we both stood up.

"If you believe you owe me something," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder, "I seem to be in need of help returning to the bioship."

Sliding one of his arms over my shoulder I felt a smile tug at my lips. "Sure."

Roquette darted in front of us to unlock the front door. Holding it open as we shuffled through I caught sight of Artemis standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Did you intercept the assassin?" I asked her as she swung her bow over her shoulder.

"She, uh, she got away," she replied avoiding my gaze.

"Oh, from you? Big surprise," Wally said, sliding to a stop beside her. "Notice that we got ours." He motioned to Megan who was holding two men aloft with her telepathy.

One was wearing a black, full body suit, his eyes obscured by two bulbous yellow hemispheres. The other was your normal thug, save for the monstrous hook he had in place of one of his hands. Both were unconscious. Artemis walked away, not giving the men a second glance as Wally turned to Kal and I.

"Geez Kaldur, you look terrible," he said.

"Wally you always know the right thing to say," I replied dryly. Kal laughed weakly.

Megan stopped a few paces away and lowered the two men to the ground. She looked worriedly from me to Kal.

"Are the two of you okay?" she asked.

"I will be fine," Kal said firmly.

"I'm good," I replied. "What about you?"

"The plan worked perfectly." She smiled briefly. "Unfortunately the woman in the mask was somehow able to find her way to Roquette. As you know."

"We managed." I shrugged. "The doctor was able to finish the virus and if the assassin had stuck around I would have gotten the better of her."

"The mission was successful," Kal said.

He leaned heavily on my shoulder as Wally bent down and picked up the assassin's mask from the sidewalk.

"Cool," he grinned, "souvenir!"

I looked from Wally to the mask. If it was here did that mean...

"Artemis, did you see her face?" I asked suddenly.

"No," she said quickly turning away from all of us. "It was dark."

"Too bad," I murmured.

"It is fine," Kal said, looking pointedly at Wally. "The Fog was neutralized and Dr. Roquette is safe. Thanks in no small part to you. Welcome to the team."

"Hey, how come I didn't get a welcome to the team speech after my first mission?" I asked jokingly as Artemis turned back towards us, a small smile on her face.

Kal looked a little shocked. "I was not aware-"

"Kidding, Kal," I grinned. "Now, where are Robin and Superboy with the bioship? No offence but you're getting kind of heavy."

"I'm sorry," he said, trying to slip his arm off my shoulder.

"When I say 'you're getting kind of heavy' it doesn't mean 'get off me right this second'," I said, resettling his arm across the back of my neck. "Chill out."

I had to admit. I was really kind of enjoying the two of us being so close.

Artemis walked up to us and offered Kal her hand to shake.

"Thank you," she said sincerely as he took her hand.

Megan walked up beside her and placed her hand on her shoulder.

"I've always wanted a sister," she said. "Here on Earth, I mean. I have twelve back on Mars but trust me, it's not the same. And now look." She glanced at me. "I have two."

I grinned as Artemis looked a little lost.

"I wouldn't know. About the whole sister thing, y'know," she said after a moment, "but thanks."

Kal, Megan and I all looked to Wally who was staring off into space.

"Wally," I said, my tone low. "Is there anything you would like to add?"

"Uh..." He grunted as Megan elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow. Yeah, welcome."

Artemis hesitantly held out her hand and he shook it. I had a feeling things were going to get much more exciting in the Cave with our newest addition.

"Robin and Superboy are back," Megan exclaimed looking up at the sky.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"The bioship just came into my range," she explained. "It gives off a unique... well it's hard to explain. It just _feels_ unique and I know it's the bioship."

"That made almost no sense but since you seem to know what you're talking about I think we can all safely assume that the bioship is back."

"Actually it's right overhead," she replied. "Let me call it down."

A few moments later I could hear a gentle buzzing noise as the bioship, abandoning its invisibility touched down in the middle of the road. A ramp descended from the hull and Robin and Superboy walked down and out of the ship.

"How'd you guys make out?" Robin asked cheerily. Catching sight of Kaldur his grin faded.

"All in one piece," I replied, "and the mission succeeded. You?"

"We made out pretty well," he said with a shrug. "What now?"

"We will take Roquette back to Mount Justice," Kal said as we slowly walked towards the bioship. "Robin, radio Batman and inform him the doctor is going to need transport back to Star City."

"On it," Robin replied, stopping in his tracks and raising his hand to his ear. "Robin to Batman."

As we approached the ramp Kal began to lean on me less and less until he was walking almost all on his own. He didn't remove his arm. I felt a smile pulling at my lips. The odds that he had a girlfriend seemed slim and I was starting to think the odds he was gay weren't too good either.

Megan had reconfigured the bioship and it's interior for all of us to fit. Eight seats were crammed into the tiny command bay and as everyone mounted the ramp it became increasingly crowded. Sliding his arm from around my neck Kal limped the last few steps to the seat closest to us. With a small sigh I took up the seat next to him. Roquette came in behind Robin. I caught her staring at me as she walked by and took the seat next to mine. What was up with her?

"Everyone ready?" Megan asked as Roquette's seat belt slid across her chest.

"Take us home Megan," Kal said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "I think we've all had enough excitement for one night."

I watched him the whole ride home. He seemed lost in thought. I couldn't help but wonder what about.

* * *

Returning to the Cave we met Batman in the bioship bay. He had arranged for Roquette to be transported back to Star City. Taking her through the transporter I hoped that it would be the last time I had to see the doctor. The way she was staring at me made me wonder what she knew. Why was she so surprised I was working alongside the League's sidekicks? And she had known my father. The fact hit me like a tonne of bricks. I should have asked her about him but during the mission everything that happened had distracted me. I planned to ask Robin to find her for me. Then we could have a nice long chat about my dear old dad.

Red Tornado came through the door of the bay and stopped a few paces from where the rest of us stood. Kal had been able to find his own way out of the bioship. Much to my dismay.

"Batman will receive your mission report in the morning," Tornado said, his voice echoing through the cavernous room. "For now you are all free to go."

I turned to Kal but he was already walking towards the transporter. I opened my mouth to say goodnight but quickly shut it. Had I said something before that had upset him? Why had he not said goodnight?

Then my phone rang. Jack.


	6. Difficulties

**A/N: I really dislike posting stories with an author's note but since it's taken so long for this chapter to be posted I feel one is in order. First off, I'm sorry it took so long. I'm done school for the summer now and I should be able to get back on schedule and the new stories I mentioned will be on their way. Secondly, thanks to everyone who has review, favorited, and commented. It makes me happy. Enjoy this chapter (it's not as long as the last two but it's a fairly good length). Happy reading! ~V.K.**

I flipped open my phone. Watching as Kaldur disappeared into the hallway. What was up with him?

"Hey Jack," I said into the receiver, filing out of the bioship bay behind Megan and Superboy. "What are you doing up this late?"

"Cay, are you alright?" he asked hurriedly, his words stumbling over themselves. In the background I could hear the screeching of car tires.

"Yeah," I replied slowly. What was he doing?

"Oh, okay, good." He sounded distracted. Again I heard the screeching of tires. "Just checking, you know?"

"Jack what's going on?"

"Not that much actually—whoa!" The sound of screeching metal was muffled but audible. I bit back a gasp.

"Jack!"

There was silence on the end of the line for a moment. "Cay?"

"What are you doing!" I cried. "Did I hear… were you just… what are you doing?"

He chuckled. "I'm playing a racing game. You distracted me and I crashed into a wall. Whoops!"

I paused. There was something not right about him. "Jack... are you—"

"Cay, I have something to tell you," he said seriously, his words sounded garbled. Slurred. A horrible thought dawned on me.

"Jack, are you… drunk?" I asked hesitantly, hoping I was wrong.

"What! No," he responded quickly.

"You're drinking and playing a car racing game," I accused. "Why are you calling me it's—"

"Amy won't take me back!" he sobbed, completely cutting me off. "I don't understand. I love her. Why won't she take me back? Two years really isn't that long, I mean, sure I left without telling her where I was going but still! I love her. Isn't that enough? Tell me Cay, isn't it enough?"

Disbelief rendered me silent. I had just been drunk dialed by my godfather.

"She said—she said that I abandoned her. I didn't Cay, I didn't abandon her. I love her."

"Are you actually calling me right now?" I asked heatedly. "Drunk? Who is the adult in this relationship? Because last time I checked it's you. And who is Amy!"

"Well you're not very sympathetic are yo?" Jack sniffed theatrically. "And I thought you would understand, you are a girl after all. What can I do to win her back? Girls like chocolate right? I'll buy her chocolate. And stuffed animals! Lots of those."

"Jack," I said, a little more harshly than I had meant to, "you are intoxicated. Drink a glass of water, put on your pajamas and go to bed. Call me in the morning when you're back to normal."

"Cay, don't hang up." He sounded so pathetic. "I need you. Please? Help me."

I groaned. "Jack, I can't believe you."

"Your dad always used to say that," he said sadly. "I miss him. Do you miss him?"

"I don't know," I said gruffly as Megan stopped in the doorway and looked at me questioningly. I waved her away and she continued into the hallway. I was alone.

"He missed you," Jack replied after a moment. I could hear a sink running. Hopefully he was taking my advice. This was getting more awkward by the second.

"When I was still talking to him he'd tell me about all the stuff you had done in school," he continued, his words still slightly slurred. "He was so proud of you. Tess was the only thing keeping him from you. You know that right? It was all Tess. I never liked her. Or Selena. But now... Amy! What did I do that was so wrong? Cay? Cay?" He paused. "Cay?"

I felt a lump form in my throat. Sure, all of this was coming from my inebriated godfather but still... When had my father even hinted that he wanted to have a normal life with me? Jack was obviously so far gone he was spouting nonsense. My father had loved nothing more than his work. Still, why wouldn't the lump in my throat go away?

"Are you getting ready for bed?" I asked him thickly. The sounds of the racing game had died away.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Maybe you're right. I can go find Amy tomorrow. Then I'll apologize and we'll be okay. We'll be okay. She always takes me back."

"Well isn't that just great. Goodnight Jack."

"Goodnight favorite goddaughter," he chuckled slowly.

"Go to bed," I reminded as the line went dead. Hopefully he wouldn't do anything too stupid.

I flipped my phone shut and looked at the outer display. Had that really happened? Had Jack just interrupted me going after Kaldur with his own alcohol induced depression over some girl named Amy? Yes. He had. I should have been angry. I should have been fuming. But what he had said about my father. Had he really been proud of me? Or was that just drunk rambling? I sighed and slipped my phone back into the pocket of my suit. It would have to wait until morning.

* * *

I woke up the next day with a wicked headache. It probably had something to do with all the abuse I had taken during the mission. I checked my phone, Jack's inebriated rant still fresh in my mind. No new messages. I grinned. He was probably too hung over to get out of bed, let alone call me. I slipped the phone into the pocket of my pajama pants and headed down to the kitchen.

Megan, Superboy and Artemis were gathered around the kitchen counter. I couldn't help but notice the tense atmosphere as I walked into the room. Megan was trying to have a conversation with Artemis but the other girl was obstinately trying to strike up some small talk with Superboy. He looked confused and was responding with as few words as possible.

"Morning guys," I yawned, walking over to the fridge.

"Good morning indeed," a familiar voice intoned.

I looked over to the doorway. Black Canary and Miss Spruce were standing side by side.

"Hey Miss Spruce," I said happily as she walked up and gave me a hug.

"Hello, Pet," she replied. "How are you?"

"Doing alright. A little banged up from last night but hey, it'll pass." I looked past her to Black Canary. "Hi."

"Hello Caelyn," she responded.

"I met Canary on the way in, Cay," Miss Spruce said, stepping back from me. "But before I leave the two of you to get down to your training there is something I need to talk to you about."

She took my hand and led me out into the hallway. I tried to ignore the stares of my teammates. Way to be subtle Miss Spruce.

Halting a few steps away from the kitchen door she let go of my hand and turned to face me. Her face was creased with lines of worry and I just knew what she was going to say would really ruin my day.

"Pet, I have to leave you."

I exhaled slowly. "Do I have another godfather you need to go find?" I joked.

"No," she replied, her tone serious. "It's to do with my old job. I've been targeted by some old enemies."

I stared at her. "What are you—"

"Now it's nothing to get upset about. They couldn't catch me then and they'll never catch me now. I just can't stay in Metropolis. They know about you, well, who you are to me, not your powers. I'm afraid they'll hurt you to get to me, Pet," she said sadly. "As soon as I'm rid of them I promise I'll be back. But until then I need to keep you safe."

"You don't need to protect me," I said, blinking away the tears forming in my eyes. Way for your enemies to time this poorly Miss Spruce. "I can handle myself—"

"Cay, these people are nothing like the villains you have been put up against," she said abruptly. "They're trained to go about unseen and—"

"Like spies," I said weakly. Her tone indicated that there was nothing I could say or do that was going to dissuade her. She was leaving whether I liked it or not.

"Yes Pet, like spies." She gave me another hug. "I'm sorry to leave you like this Cay. One of my old associates tipped me off. I need to leave immediately if I want to get a head start. I've asked a few of my friends to keep an eye on you-"

"You have a network of old spy friends?"

She smiled slightly. "That's my little secret. If something happens to you I'll be back. No matter what. Be careful Cay. I would never forgive myself if you got hurt. I made a promise that I intend to keep."

I looked at her questioningly.

"To your mother," she informed me. "Before she... left us I promised I would bring you up right."

"You have Miss Spruce."

_Don't cry_, I thought furiously as I met her gaze. _That's the last thing either of us needs._

She nodded, her eyes shining. "Now. You run on back to Black Canary. She's here to train one on one with you."

I gave her one last hug and turned to leave, a hollowness forming in my chest. "Do you have any idea when you'll be back?"

Expecting her to respond I turned back. She was gone. How did she manage that? I was left standing alone in the hallway as I stared dejectedly at the place she had been standing. I sighed and returned to the kitchen after a moment. Canary was waiting.

* * *

I trained with Canary everyday for several hours over the next week we had off. She would arrive as soon as I finished breakfast, sometimes Megan and Superboy would join us, sometimes Wally and Robin, but never Kaldur. It wasn't as if he didn't come to the Cave. He was there almost every day but for some reason he was reserved and quiet. I was able to strike up conversations with him but he was always holding back. Acting almost guilty. I didn't understand why!

I was feeling pretty low. Jack had called and apologized after his intoxicated adventure but even the conversations I had with him couldn't cheer me up. Kal was acting distant, Myr and Sam hadn't messaged me back, and Miss Spruce was gone. I really didn't see how it could get any worse.

Megan noticed something was up. She was constantly making cookies or getting movies for us to watch with Superboy. I appreciated it but it did little to make me feel better. I didn't know how it happened but all of a sudden all I wanted to do was talk to Kaldur. I didn't understand. Why did it have to be him?

Finally our routine was broken when Red Tornado paid the Cave a visit. I walked into the kitchen to find it deserted. I could hear some form of commotion coming from the other room so I grabbed a granola bar out of the box someone, most likely Wally, had left on the counter and sauntered into the Command room. Kal and Superboy were sparring as I walked in. Commotion explained. Superboy was shirtless and I was hoping Kal would follow suit as I walked up to Megan and Artemis who were standing against the far wall. Wally was eating a burrito on the opposite side of the room and raised it in a mock salute as I walked past.

I sighed as Superboy and Kal continued their match. I guess I was to be deprived of shirtless Kal. Maybe we could go to the beach again sometime soon.

"Morning Cay," Megan said cheerily, interrupting my musings. "How did you sleep?"

"Alright," I replied. "You're here early Artemis."

She shot me a confused look. "It's almost five."

"In the afternoon? Well then, ignore that," I laughed. "I guess I slept in. A lot."

There was a thud from behind me. "Black Canary taught me that."

Turning around I saw Superboy helping Kal off the floor, I assumed from where he had thrown him, as the light of the sparring ring disappeared. Looking up to me Superboy nodded.

"Morning Cay."

"Hey," I yawned. "Nice moves."

"Thanks," he replied, grinning slightly.

"Good morning Cay," Kal said as he walked past me to scoop a towel off the floor.

"Morning Kaldur," I smiled.

"Care to spar?" he asked motioning to the darkened ring with a jerk of his head.

"I don't know, those moves of yours are pretty intense. I don't think I stand a chance."

His rueful smile vanished as quickly as it had come as his face sobered. He turned away. "Another time perhaps."

My face fell slightly as I tried to disguise my dismay. "Sure."

"Someone call the fire department 'cause—," Wally began as he sauntered up next to me. Artemis elbowed him in the side, cutting off his cheesy one-liner.

I ignored him as I watched Kaldur making his way to the door leading to the kitchen. It was now or never. I decided I would confront him. I had to know if he had a girlfriend. If I could catch him alone in the kitchen I had a chance to ask him before the others interrupted us.

"You are such an idiot," Artemis grumbled as Wally rubbed his side glaring at her. "Cut it out."

I took a purposeful step forward as Red Tornado came through the transporter, the metallic voice announcing his arrival. I groaned inwardly as he marched towards us. His timing couldn't have been worse.

"Do you have a mission for us?" Wally asked excitedly as he raced over to the android.

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility," he responded.

"Yeah but Batman's with Robin doing the dynamic duo thing in Gotham," Wally complained gesturing expansively with his arms. "But, you're headed somewhere right? Hot date or mission?"

"Wally you really know how to make a fool of yourself," I sighed as the rest of us approached Red Tornado.

"Wow, Cay are you sure you're not telepathic?" Artemis asked with a grin. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"We would be pleased to help," Kaldur interrupted as he joined us. "If you are in need of it."

Tornado didn't respond. Instead he turned to the computer and tapped a few keys. A picture of an elderly man appeared on the large screens.

"This is Kent Nelson, a friend. He is 106 years old," he intoned.

"Guy doesn't look a day over 90," Wally whispered, nudging me in the side.

"It's crazy, his age is almost twice your IQ," Artemis whispered back.

"Hey!" Wally protested.

"He has been missing for 23 days," Tornado continued ignoring their exchange. "Kent was a charter member of the Justice Society. A precursor to your mentor's Justice League."

The image on the computer screen changed as Tornado tapped one of the keys. A young man wearing a gold helmet that obscured his face and a gold cape paired with a dark suit appeared. The helmet was a gladiator style, with only openings for his eyes. I wondered how something like that could be practical for crime fighting.

"Of course!" Kal exclaimed. "Nelson was Earth's sorcerer supreme, he was Doctor Fate!"

"More like Doctor Fake," Wally scoffed. "The guy knows a little bit of advanced science and Dumbledores it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes."

"Dumbledore wouldn't have used his magic to impress babes Wally," I pointed out. "That would have been irresponsible. There were wizards like James and Sirius for that."

"That's beside the point!" he cried. "You know what I mean!"

"Kent may simply be on one of his walkabouts," Red Tornado went on, ignoring us, "but he is the caretaker of the Helmet of Fate, the source of the Doctor's mystic might. It would be unwise to leave such power unguarded."

"He is like the Grand Priests and Priestesses on Mars," Megan said excitedly. "I would be honored to help find him."

"Sounds like fun," I said simply as she cast me a sidelong glance. "I'm in."

"Me too!" Wally said, immediately raising his hand. "Super honoured and stuff. Magic rocks."

I shot Megan a disbelieving look. She shrugged slightly.

"Take this," Tornado said, handing a large gold key to Kal. "It is the key to the Tower of Fate."

"And where would that be?" I asked.

"I will program the coordinates into the computer," he answered. "They will be automatically transferred to the bioship."

I nodded and turned my attention to Wally who had slipped in between Megan and me.

"What are the chances that the three of us are so interested in the mystical arts? Definitely some sort of connection between us," he grinned.

"When did you decide that 'magic rocks', Wall-man?" I asked. "Didn't you say just a minute ago that Nelson was a-"

"We should get to the bioship," he said quickly grinning at Megan. "Lead the way beautiful. The Wall-man would follow you anywhere."

She nodded and walked off towards the bioship bay with Superboy and Wally following her. I looked to Artemis.

"Sometimes I wonder about him," I sighed.

"His lack of intelligence _is_ somewhat concerning," she agreed with a roll of her eyes.

"I can hear you!" Wally called from the hallway.

"That was kind of the point," Artemis replied walking after them.

That left Kal and I. Looking to him I smiled.

"It's nice to have something to do," I said.

He nodded and walked past me. "We should get going. Time is of the essence."

I followed after him my mind screaming at me to say something. With every passing day it seemed all the ground I had gained in getting to know him was slipping away. Not that I even knew him that well, but still…

Despite everything I wanted to say I remained silent. Megan had configured the bioship and as we mounted the ramp I knew I had missed my opportunity. I resigned myself to the fact and dropped down in one of the two spare seats between Artemis and Superboy. Walking past me, Kaldur took the empty chair beside Wally.

* * *

The flight was uneventful and longer than I would have liked. Wally and Artemis bickered until Kaldur told them off. I stayed quiet. Agonizing over what I was going to say when the time came. I dreaded hearing that he had a girlfriend back in Atlantis but not knowing was almost worse. Almost.

"So Wally, when did you first realize your honest affinity for sorcery?" Artemis asked, breaking the silence Kaldur had commanded when their previous argument concerning the best action movie of all time had nearly deafened the rest of us in the bioship.

"Well," Wally replied, "I don't like to brag, but before becoming Kid Flash I seriously considered becoming a wizard myself."

"But when you turned eleven your letter never came did it?" I said with a frown. "Don't worry, I'm sure the owl just got lost. It'll show up eventually."

Artemis chuckled as Wally shot me a confused look.

"We're at Tornado's coordinates," Megan said uncertainly, "but..."

"There's nothing there," Superboy finished as the ship hovered over an empty parking lot on the outskirts of a small town.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" I asked peering out the panels of glass that made up the bioship's windshield.

Megan nodded. "I checked. Twice!"

"Take us down," Kaldur instructed.

The bioship landed in a deserted parking lot. We all filed down the ramp and onto the asphalt. I looked around. "Megan, where exactly are we?"

She frowned. "I believe it's called Salem."

"Cool!" I exclaimed.

"You know of it?" Kal asked.

I nodded. "It's was where there were a bunch of famous Witch Trials in the sixteen hundreds. It's a bit of a tourist trap but still... I think it's a cool place. It has a neat vibe during the day."

He was looking at me strangely. "How do you know this?"

"When I was younger I went through a phase where I wanted to be a witch. Miss Spruce brought me here and I got a cauldron and some herbs," I laughed, remembering her dismay at my affinity for black clothing and eye liner when I was eleven. "If I remember correctly that phase lasted about four days."

"Why did it end?" Artemis asked.

"I decided that pursuing a career as a psychic would be more effective use of my time."

"Cay," Megan laughed, "you can't just _become_ a psychic."

"Yeah…" I sighed. "I figured that after a while."

"I knew I could feel something about this place," Wally said spreading his arms and shooting Megan a wry grin. "It's got all this energy flowing around."

"Paranormal or not, it's something other than the town that's strange," I said dryly.

"Do you believe in the paranormal Cay?" Megan asked.

I shrugged. "I've never had to really think about it before," I admitted. "I guess I believe in it. To an extent."

"Then you're not a true believer," Wally accused.

"I never said I was," I snapped.

He looked shocked and I immediately felt guilty. "Sorry Wally."

"Wally, take a look around," Kaldur interrupted, walking up beside me. "See if you can find anything."

Wally nodded and disappeared in a blur of movement. In a split second he was back. His sneakers screeched as he came to a halt in front of us.

"Nothing," he said, "this isn't simple camouflage."

"So what do you think?" Artemis asked. "Adaptive micro-opto-electronics combined with phase shifting?"

"Absolutely," he said, surprise evident in his voice. He looked over her shoulder at Megan and immediately sobered. "Not! Clearly mystic powers are at work here."

"As much as it pains me to say so," I said, "Wally's probably right. If Nelson has this crazy magic helmet he would use it to hide his secret tower right?"

"It is hard to know," Kal said walking forward. "However, Tornado said that this would be a test of faith." He had the gold key in his hand. "Stand behind me."

We all watched as he held the key out in front of him. Turning it in midair there was an audible click. A large stone, medieval-like tower appeared in front of us.

"Nice going Kal," I said. "Colour me impressed."

"Thank you Cay," he said, smiling slightly.

Pushing the door open we all walked inside as it swung shut behind us. Superboy looked back and stopped in his tracks.

"Where'd the door go?" he asked.

I spun around. The archway we had just come through had disappeared. We were enclosed by four door-less walls.

"Greetings."

I turned back as a projection of Kent Nelson materialized before us. "You have entered with the key but the Tower does not recognize you. Please state your purpose and intent."

I stared at the projection for a moment. It was unreal. The only thing distinguishing it from a real person was its somewhat transparent nature. And the fact that it was glowing. I looked at Kaldur.

"Say something," I prompted.

He nodded and stepped forward to address the specter. However, Wally beat him to it.

"We are true believers here to look for Doctor Fate," he said gesturing widely to the group.

Judging by the projection's expression it wasn't convinced as it disappeared. There was a shift in the floor beneath my feet. I looked down as all the stones gave way. A scream caught in my throat as we plummeted towards a bubbling lake of lava.

As I fell I reached out searching for a handhold, my fingers grazed the wall painfully drawing blood. I caught sight of Megan grabbing Wally around the waist and hoisting him to safety. I flung my arms out, my fingers again scrabbling for some hold on the rock. Nothing.

The lava was rushing up to meet me. I was pretty sure an increased tolerance to high temperatures didn't translate into lava immunity. The heat was getting more intense the further I fell.

My descent ended abruptly as an arm wrapped around my waist. A tattooed arm. I looked up gratefully to Kal who Artemis was holding by the hand. Where she had gotten a grappling gun or why she had brought it with us I didn't know. I did know I was glad for it.

"Thanks," I panted blood pounding in my ears.

He inclined his head slightly. "You are welcome."

I looked down at the lava pit in time to see Superboy's feet slide into the glowing molten rock. He let out an angry cry and wrenched his feet up and out. They were unharmed. Impressive.

"Those were my favorite boots," he said angrily clawing his way up the rock face a few feet. "This Nelson guy better be worth it."

"How're we going to get out of here?" I asked, shifting just a bit in Kal's grasp.

"Megan, can you fly out?" Artemis questioned.

"Having trouble," she panted, her voice disjointed as she dropped a few feet closer to the lava, "maintaining altitude. I'm so hot."

"You certainly are," Wally replied.

"Wally!" Artemis and I cried in unison.

"What? Inches above sizzling death here!" he shouted. "I'm entitled to speak my mind!"

"My physiology and M'gann's are susceptible to heat," Kal said, his arm was loosening around my torso. I clung tightly to his forearm. "We must climb out of here quickly."

"Understatement of the year there Kal," I said, gazing around the pit. "Do you have another grappling hook Artemis?"

"Hello Megan! We never truly answered the question!" Megan exclaimed, she and Wally were drawing nearer and nearer the lava. "Red Tornado sent us to see if Mr. Nelson and the Helmet were safe!"

Immediately, with the sound of grating metal, two panels slid across the lava. Superboy dropped down as Artemis let more line out of her grappling hook and we slowly descended towards the panel. Megan and Wally landed heavily as Kal released me from his grip and I fell unceremoniously onto my butt. He landed next to me and offered me his hand.

"Apologies. That was not my intention."

"It's okay Kal." I took his proffered hand with a smile and he pulled me to my feet. I looked to Megan the smile on my face fading.

"Good thinking Megan," I said, looking around the bottom of the pit. "Now what?"

"This platform should be red hot, but it is cool to the touch," Kal said, kneeling down and placing his hands on the panels.

I had never noticed before but he had thin membranes spread between his fingers. Megan stumbled into me and I tore my eyes away from Kal's hands.

"Hey, you alright?"

She nodded and stepped away from me. "Yeah, the heat really got to me."

"It's okay Megalicious I got you," Wally said comfortingly placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Enough!" Artemis howled angrily pushing him away from Megan. "Your little 'Impress Megan at all costs' game nearly got us all barbequed!"

"When did this become my fault?" he retorted haughtily.

"When you lied to that, whatever it was," she hissed, "and called yourself a true believer!"

"Wally," Megan said seriously, "you don't believe?"

"Fine, fine," he sighed in frustration, "I lied about believing in magic." He crossed his arms. "But magic is the real lie, a major low!"

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, maybe I didn't believe in magic, but something had to be managing the Tower. If not magic then what?

"Wally," Kaldur said evenly, "I studied for a year at the Conservatory of Sorcery in Atlantis. The mystic arts created the skin icons that power my water-bearers."

"Dude, you ever here of bioelectricity?" Wally replied, unconvinced. "Hey in some ancient cultures fire was once considered magic too. Cay is obviously a master magician."

"Really Wally, bioelectricity? How can you act like this?" I asked, the irritation I felt coloring my voice. "Some things can't be explained by science. Accept it and move on. We need to figure out a way to get out of here and bickering about your beliefs really isn't helping."

"Well it's not like you believe!" he shot back.

"I never said I believe," I hissed. We were stuck in a pit and he was arguing with me about what I did and didn't believe in. I had had enough. "You know what though Wally? I'll accept that Kaldur has magic tattoos! And I'll accept that this tower is governed by a crazy magic specter that doesn't like being lied to! And I'll accept that there is a magic helmet somewhere in this building that is apparently so powerful that it made the dude wearing it a superhero! Now that we've cleared that up I would appreciate it if we could figure out how to get out of here! With or without the use of magic, it doesn't matter to me!"

Everyone stayed silent as I stomped angrily up to the wall of the pit. It wasn't completely fair of me to take out my frustrations on Wally but he was being such a jerk.

"I'm with Cay," Artemis said stoutly. "You're pretty close minded for a guy who can break the sound barrier in his sneakers."

"That's _science_," Wally replied, casting an angry glance in my direction. "I recreated Flash's lab experiment and here I am. No magic involved. Everything can be explained with science."

I bit back an angry reply and began running my hands along the rock wall. I was hoping to find some way out. The sooner we found Nelson the better.

"Let us test your theory," Kal said to Wally.

He closed his hand as if he was holding onto a handle of some sort and pulled the floor upwards.

"Wait! The back draft from the lava will roast us alive!" Wally cried reeling back.

"Well, the rest of you," I said dryly.

Instead of a wall of heat, snowflakes drifted upwards through the opening Kaldur caused to appear.

"Great," I said unenthusiastically. "Snow."

Megan looked delighted. "It _is _snow!"

"Do you ever get tired of being wrong?" Artemis asked, looking at Wally.

Kaldur jumped through the trapdoor and disappeared into the winter wasteland. Megan floated down after him and Superboy followed. I groaned as I slowly lowered myself down, only to find the orientation of the world was different from where I had just been. I once again ended up on my butt.

Artemis and Wally jumped down after me. I pushed myself off the snow and hurriedly rid myself of all the white flakes clinging to my clothes. Everyone was looking pointedly at Wally.

He looked behind him as the door disappeared in on itself with a burst of yellow light.

"Well?" Artemis prompted.

"Ever heard of string theory?" Wally said stubbornly. "We're in a pocket dimension."

"Uh, guys," Megan said, she had turned away from us and was looking at a cane that was floating about a foot and a half off the ground.

I stared at it for a moment. "Is it—"

"Maybe it's Nelson's magic wand," Wally said sarcastically.

Artemis walked towards it and reached out to grab the cane's carved head. Wally appeared beside her and they both made contact with the floating walking stick at the same time.

"I got it!" they said in unison, glaring at one another as the cane began to glow. "Hey, I can't let go!"

With a sudden jerk the cane rocketed upwards taking Wally and Artemis with it. They disappeared in a burst of light leaving the rest of us staring at where they had been in slack jawed amazement.

"Did that—" I began looking at Kaldur and Superboy. They looked as confused as I felt.

"Wally!" Megan cried worriedly. "Artemis! What should we do?"

"We should not panic," Kaldur stated. "Wally and Artemis will both remain within the Tower. I do not believe they are in any danger as of yet though finding them should become our priority."

"Then we'd better start walking," Superboy said casting his gaze around our immediate surroundings.

"Any idea which way?" I asked.

"No, but any direction is better than remaining here. Come," Kaldur said marching off.

I shrugged and fell into step beside him. Megan and Superboy followed.

We had been walking for a few minutes before I began to feel the cold. No one else seemed to notice. I grit my teeth and decided to grin and bear it. If it dropped any more I would let the team know though. A frozen Cay is just a little more useless than a functioning Cay.

"I don't understand Wally," Megan said as we walked on. "It's almost like he needs to believe the impossible can't happen."

"Wally uses his understanding of science to control what he cannot comprehend," Kaldur explained. "Acknowledging the existence of magic would be to relinquish the last vestige of that control."

"As much as I would like to think Wally's just a moron, Kaldur's probably right," I said, my teeth beginning to chatter.

Megan cocked her head to the side. "Cay? Are you shaking?"

I rubbed my arms, trying to banish the goosebumps that had established themselves on my skin. "Am I the only one who's noticed the temperature drop? When we came in it was almost warm. Now it's freezing!"

"Megan and my physiology are adapted to colder temperatures," Kaldur said.

"And I don't feel the cold," Superboy added.

"Well it's cold," I informed them. "If we don't get out of here soon I'm going to be an icicle."

"Your intolerance to colder temperatures slipped my mind. I am sorry." Kal put a hand on my shoulder. "We will find a way out as quickly as possible. But until then." He slipped his jacket off his shoulders and held it out in front of him. "Take this."

I paused for a second before taking the proffered garment.

"Thanks Kal," I said with a smile, slipping it over my shoulders. "Who says chivalry is dead?"

He turned away from me, not returning the smile, and walked on. "Hurry. We must find a way out.

"How _are_ we going to get out of here?" Megan asked.

In answer a few hundred feet ahead a door appeared on the peak of a snow covered cliff. The door swung open as we all walked towards it.

"Convenient," I laughed. "Thank you mystic Tower!"

The space beyond the door was dark. Unlike the trapdoor we had come through before there was no evidence that there was anything on the other side.

"Are you sure we should do this?" I asked, my teeth still chattering. "Last time we could see where we were going."

"The Tower is trying to lead us somewhere," Kaldur said. "I think it is in all of our best interest to trust it."

He stepped through the doorway and disappeared. Superboy followed him without hesitation. Megan smiled reassuringly as I looked at the door with distrust.

"It'll be alright Cay," she said.

I nodded and stepped through the door. As I stepped into the darkness nothing met my foot where I expected to find solid ground. I plummeted downwards, my eyes squeezed shut, as I waited to come into contact with whatever surface made up the part of the Tower I was in. I fell for only a few seconds before I came crashing down on top of Kal and Superboy. My eyes snapped open as I rolled off of both of them.

"Sorry," I muttered, rubbing the back of my head which had had the misfortune of smacking into Superboy's chest. What was he made of?

Megan floated down with a look of relief on her face. "Wally! Artemis!"

"Friends of yours?" asked an unfamiliar voice as my vision cleared and I took in my surroundings.

We were in a room that had stairs on every surface. On the ceiling, on the floor, on the walls, all except for the platform we were standing on, upon which there was a monstrous bell. Beside it Wally and Kent Nelson were watching us as Artemis ran forward.

I opened my mouth to say something as Wally and Nelson ducked, a bolt of electricity narrowly missing them.

The electricity had originated from two figures standing on the far wall. One was a pale boy dressed all in black and the other, who was firing blasts of electricity at the rest of us, looked like a third rate Latino dancer. I rolled out of the path of a column of electricity and leapt to my feet.

Nelson rang the bell with his cane. It began to glow as he and Wally disappeared into its gold surface. The pale kid, rage distorting his features, lifted off the ground and flew into it after them. The bell ceased its light show and the brass returned to its normal lack luster color.

"What was that about?" I cried slipping out of Kal's jacket as I let my gel begin coating my hands.

"That was Kent Nelson," Artemis replied. "That pale kid was some Chaos Lord and that's Abra Kadabra." She motioned to the Latino dancer who was descending the stairs on the wall and approaching us.

"So he's a magician?" I asked, striking my rings together. The spark didn't catch so I repeated the motion. The flames roared to life as they spread from my hands to my arms.

"Not quite. Wally and the Flash have dealt with him before. He has technology from the future," she said. "He's a fake."

"My power is no illusion," Kadabra interrupted as he stepped onto our platform. He caught sight of me and grinned. "This is proving to be more exciting than I could have possibly imagined."

"We'll see about that," I growled as I lofted two handfuls of burning gel in his direction.

Sidestepping the flaming projectile he chuckled. "Pitiful. The science behind your powers will be obsolete before the end of the 22nd century."

I looked back to Kaldur, Superboy, Megan and Artemis. "You guys ready?"

The realization suddenly dawned on me as they stepped up beside me. Everyone was in the civilian gear. Kaldur didn't have his water bearers. Artemis didn't have her bow, only the crossbow-like grappling hook launcher. The whole team was relatively unarmed.

Kadabra pointed his 'wand' towards us and electricity snaked from its tip. It hit Artemis square in the chest, despite her best attempts to dodge, and formed a network of crackling energy around her. It forced her to the ground as he turned his focus to me. Another bolt of electricity crackled from the wand's tip.

"Forget it," I hissed as I concentrated on increasing the gel production. There was no way to dodge and I hoped that the magician's gadget operated on the same principles that Kal's electricity did. The bolt of electricity bounced harmlessly off and I grinned wryly. "I've got insulation."

"I don't like you," Kadabra hissed as he trapped Kaldur within another of his electric nets.

"That makes me feel all warm and tingly," I grunted rushing towards him as Superboy did the same.

Kadabra uttered an unimpressed snort as he raised his wand in Superboy's direction. Once again electricity snaked from its tip.

"Look out Superboy!" Megan cried.

It was too late. The electricity forced him to the ground and created the familiar criss-cross structure above him. He roared in anger.

"Megan, get in contact with Wally," I said, trying to distract Kadabra long enough for her to establish contact. "We need his help! He and Flash have faced him before. He'll know his weaknesses."

"Alright!"

I rushed Kadabra, increasing the production of the gel on my arms as the flames leapt higher. I dropped down into a slide, attempting to knock his feet out from underneath him. He sidestepped and caught me in the left side with a bolt of electricity from his wand. It didn't create the cage as it had with the others and instead knocked me sideways.

With the wind knocked out of me I rolled towards the edge of the platform. My momentum didn't carry me over the side but I was dangerously close. Struggling to catch my breath I clambered to my feet in time to see Kadabra trap Megan within another electrical net.

He turned to me with a grin. "And then there was one. I think it is time for a new approach to this problem."

"Give it up Kadabra," I said weakly. "You're a one trick pony."

Rolling his eyes he pointed his wand in my direction. "Not quite."

Water erupted from the wand's tip. A scream caught in my throat as I frantically reeled backwards trying to avoid the column rushing towards me. Somehow I managed to dodge his assault as he laughed maniacally.

"One trick pony am I little girl?" He cackled.

Before I had time to recover from my first frantic dodge another wall of water was rocketing in my direction. My attempts to avoid it this time were far less successful. The column engulfed my left arm as a feral scream escaped my lips. The pain was unimaginable. The water burned my skin, the surface red and blistering before my blurring vision. I dropped to my knees, unable to focus on anything other than the intense pain snaking its way deep into my arm. It was unbearable. The flames on my opposite arm died as I lost my control of the gel's production. Kadabra advanced towards me a look of triumph evident on his face.

"Soon Klarion will be in possession of the Helmet," he said as I glared up at him. "Then, this world will be under our rule."

"You're a fool if you think he's going to share power with you," I hissed.

"And what would you know of it?" he scoffed.

A witty retort on the tip of my tongue I fixed him with a withering look. Then I noticed. He was standing in front of me in only his underwear as a golden ankh glowed behind him. Despite the pain in my arm a giggle escaped my lips.

"What are you—" he looked down and the rest of his sentence caught in his throat. "Oh no."

The cages holding the rest of the team disappeared and they all stood up. Superboy strode up to Kadabra and slammed his fist into the villain's face.

"Show's over," he said as Kadabra tumbled backwards. He lay motionless on the floor as Megan ran up to me.

"Cay!" she cried, kneeling down next to me. "Are you alright?"

I looked ruefully down at my arm. Ugly red blistering snaked around my fingers and wrist, up my arm and ended just below the sleeve of my t-shirt.

"I will be."

Megan held out a tentative hand. I took it with my good hand and she pulled me to my feet.

"You fought well," Kaldur said, eyes resting on my arm.

"Thanks," I said, wincing as I took a step towards them. Every movement sent my arm into thralls of agony. Gritting my teeth I continued towards them.

"Here." Kal picked his jacket up off the ground. He took a step towards me as he tore one of the sleeves off.

"Kal! You don't—" He shook his head and commenced tearing the sleeve into strips.

"It may only be a surface wound but it could become worse should we be involved in another fight with Kadabra's associate."

"That doesn't mean you should start tearing your jacket up!" I cried, cradling my arm to my chest. "It really isn't that bad."

He paused, the sleeve reduced to a fistful of dark green strips. "Cay, come here."

"Kal-"

"It does look pretty gross," Artemis put in. "Kaldur has the right idea, don't be difficult Cay."

"Thanks Artemis," I said dryly as Kal advanced towards me. I took a step back. "No, really, I don't think that'll help—"

"Cay you're being silly!" Megan cried from beside me.

"It hurts," I protested weakly. "I really don't want anything done to it. I want to go home."

Kal regarded me steadily. "I have reduced part of my jacket to shreds. You will let me tend your arm."

I sighed. "You're worse than Miss Spruce."

"What a fiend," Artemis said, crossing her arms. "He's concerned about your well being."

"You know what? Fine! Do whatever you want to it!" I groaned holding my arm out in front of me. "I don't think it could get any worse."

Wordlessly Kal walked up to me and began draping the strips across the red, raw skin. His hands were cool to the touch. As he began wrapping the strips in a series of loose loops around my arm he grinned slightly.

"Your stubbornness is somewhat…" He trailed off and his grin faded. Tying off the last strip he nodded. "That will hold until we are able to return to the Cave."

My eyes met his and I felt my cheeks flush.

"Uh, thanks." What can I say, I am always eloquent in my lexical choices.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Artemis asked.

"Maybe I can help with that."

Artemis looked over my shoulder her face breaking into a smile. "Wally!"

"Miss me guys?" he asked with a small smile.

In his arms was the Helmet.

"Where's Nelson?" Artemis asked, walking up to him.

Wally avoided her gaze. "Nelson… didn't make it."

"What are you—" She stopped. "No."

"Klarion overpowered us. Nelson gave his life to protect m-the helmet."

"And?"

"Look, it really doesn't matter. We got the helmet. Mission accomplished. Let's go."

I opened my mouth to say something but quickly closed it. Wally seemed different, he wasn't strutting around like he normally did after winning a fight against the bad guys. It was odd. What had happened to him? A door appeared on the edge of the platform opposite where we were all standing.

"Wally was that you?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Then… the Tower?" Megan supplied questioningly. "But where does it go?"

"One way to find out," Superboy said striding across the platform and wrenching it open.

Through the doorframe was the deserted town of Salem.

"Finally," I sighed. "Let's get out of here."

The flight back to Mount Justice was quieter than the journey to the Tower. Kaldur had fallen into a pensive silence after wrapping my arm and Wally simply stared at the helmet resting on his knees. Artemis and Megan broke the silence a few times asking me how my arm was but in terms of conversation that was it. We landed in the Cave's bioship bay and Megan produced the familiar ramp in the ship's hull.

"We're home," she said quietly.

I rose to my feet and trudged down the ramp.

"Cay."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Kaldur.

"Yeah."

"You are to report to the sick bay. I will meet you there."

I nodded, a smile tugging at my lips. "Okay."

"So, now you're okay with him looking after your arm?" Artemis asked, marching past me. "You are so fickle."

"I am not!"

"Sick bay. Now," Kaldur instructed, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Alright," I sighed. "I'm going."

I trudged out of the bioship bay and into the deserted hallway. Kal wasn't following me but I trusted him to keep his word and I made my way down to the sick bay. I opened the door and stepped inside. The room smelled heavily of disinfectant as I lowered myself onto one of the two beds. I looked down at my arm and began picking at the wrappings.

"That does not aid in the healing process."

I looked up and grinned at Kaldur as he walked in through the door.

"Just a moment." He began rummaging through the drawers of the side table sitting next to the bed's headboard.

Pulling out rolls of gauze, tape and scissors I watched him suspiciously.

"You really don't have to do this Kal," I said. "I'm sure I could have managed."

"It is my responsibility," he said shortly taking my arm in one hand and the scissors in the other. "This may hurt."

I nodded and bit my lower lip as he gently cut through the fabric wrapped around my arm. Pain shot up through my arm and into my shoulder as the strips tugged at the raw flesh beneath them. I inhaled sharply.

"I am sorry," he said, his gaze meeting mine for an instant before he looked away and continued removing the makeshift bandages. "There."

The last of the fabric fell away and Kal grabbed the nearest bundle of gauze.

"So when did you become Kaldur Master Doctor?" I asked, laughing weakly.

"In truth, I have a very rudimentary knowledge of any form of healing technique," he replied after a moment.

"By rudimentary do you mean, 'I actually have no idea what I'm doing'?"

He smiled slightly and continued wrapping my arm. The skin was still raw under the bandages but the gauze was less abrasive than the fabric of his jacket.

"I began my training in Atlantis…" He trailed off as he reached for another roll of gauze. "Unfortunately I could not continue it."

"Why did you leave?"

He didn't respond immediately and continued winding the gauze around my arm. "Because it was my duty."

I caught his eye and he held my gaze. I was rendered speechless. A moron incapable of coherent speech. I seemed to be staring into the grey of his eyes for hours but it couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds. Tying off the last of the gauze just below my shoulder he turned away.

"Tomorrow that should be changed," he said quickly, glancing back over his shoulder as I gingerly moved the tips of my fingers.

"Kal— " He turned around expectantly as the words I wanted to say caught in my throat.

"Yes?"

"Thanks," I said softly.

"That is not necessary," he replied. "It was my pleasure."

And with that he strode out through the door. I was left sitting on the edge of the bed, my heart in my throat as I berated myself for not voicing how I felt. Why did things have to be so difficult?


	7. The Hungry Lion

**A/N: Hello everyone! I have not abandoned the story! I was just really unhappy with the last million drafts of this chapter and I had to keep scrapping them and rewriting bits and pieces. I'm pretty pleased with it now and I am looking forward to posting the next chapter. Which is done. And I am going to post right now. That's right. Two chapters in one day? WHAT IS THIS INSANITY? Enjoy guys. The next chapter will be up within the hour.**

Everything was fine after our trip to the tower. Wally returned to normal relatively quickly and by our next training session with Canary he was back to his old self. He was still hitting on anything with boobs but I that was never going to change, but… I couldn't help feel that his experience with Nelson had changed him. Something was different about him.

The day that Batman arrived to give the team a mission was the day that everything seemed to unravel; for me at least. The team assembled in the Control room as he brought up images of a warehouse on the computer screens. My arm was still bandaged and I had it in a sling around my neck. It was a little inconvenient but I was managing fine. Okay, that's a lie. It hurt like hell but I was trying to put up a brave front. Kadabra had majorly screwed up my powers. The day after it happened Jack had shown up and assured me I would return to normal. However, he didn't mention how long it would take. I was beginning to think it would be forever. I sighed and turned my attention to Batman.

"The League believes that this is a munitions store of a weapons supplier for one of the crime families of Gotham," Batman informed us, as he continued tapping away at the keyboard. "You are to set up a perimeter and monitor any activity you observe."

As Batman droned on about the mission I wiggled the fingers of my injured hand. A truly impressive feat considering I couldn't move them a few days ago. I was fairly confident by the end of the week I could lose the bandage and be back to normal. I could handle recon as I was though. My other arm still functioned fine.

"Be in place as soon as darkness provides adequate cover," Batman finished, the computer powering down as he turned back towards us. "That is all."

"Batman," Kaldur said as the Caped Crusader walked towards the transporter. "Are we _all_ to go on this mission?"

Batman paused and looked over his shoulder. His gaze flickered from Kal to me. "Work that out among yourselves."

He stepped into the transporter and disappeared.

I crossed my arms and fixed Kaldur with a steady gaze. "Kal?"

"Cay, if you are thinking of—"

"Yes I am," I interrupted crossly. "Why wouldn't I want to be a part of the mission?"

"Your arm is still not functional," he said slowly.

Oh Kal, always thinking of others. Most of the time I found it endearing. Not so at that moment. "So?"

"To bring you on this mission could prove disastrous."

"Kaldur," Megan interrupted, "it's only a reconnaissance mission. Cay would be fine if-"

"No, I think Kaldur has a point," Artemis said, fiddling with the arrows in her quiver.

"Does he now?" I fumed.

"Well, you are still a little bit broken," Wally pointed out.

"'Little' doesn't even begin to cover it! And look how our last recon mission went," Robin added. "We kind of blew up the island."

"That doesn't mean this one will turn out like that!" I protested.

"Enough," Kaldur said, his voice deadly quiet. "The rest of you prepare to move out." His gaze met mine. "Cay, please remain here."

The rest of the team filed out of the Control room as Megan shot me a worried glance. I ignored her and turned angrily on Kaldur as soon as they were gone. How dare he try and leave me behind.

"Don't you dare try and leave me behind!" I hissed.

"You are not yet healed," he reasoned, his eyes steely with determination, "and to put you in harm's way would be irresponsible of me."

"This is not your decision!" I cried, angry tears pricking at my eyes. "It's my choice!"

"No. You are wrong. Your presence would distract the entire team. We cannot watch over you while fulfilling the objective of our mission." He paused. "And I will not have you hurt again."

I hesitated. I was touched he was worried about me but still, he was trying to leave me behind. I stomped my foot in frustration. Childish? Yeah, a little.

"I do not need watching!" I snapped stubbornly.

"Cay, you will remain here."

"I will not!"

His gaze hardened. "That was not a request."

"Don't start ordering me around," I growled.

"I am the leader of this team and you will listen to me," he replied haughtily.

I wouldn't have thought it was possible but Kal seemed to be losing his cool. Not that I was any better. I was being a petulant child. I had been denied something I wanted and was throwing a tantrum. At the time though, I felt I had been wronged. The fact it was my friends made it even worse. How could they leave me behind? I was one of them.

"Is that so?" I asked, my voice low.

"If you cannot follow orders then perhaps this team is not right for you!" Kaldur snapped.

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at him for a moment. The anger in his face disappeared and he looked shocked by what he had said.

"Cay, I did not—"

"Don't bother," I muttered thickly as I pushed past him and made for the door.

I found myself in the company of Megan, Artemis, Wally, Robin and Superboy who were all pressed guiltily up against the hallway's wall just outside the door.

"Nice, guys," I hissed, marching past them. "Have fun on your mission."

Megan took a few steps after me. "Cay?"

I ignored her and continued down the hallway, my feet pounding the tiled floor. My thought process went a little something like this; maybe I was being childish by insisting on joining them. But it should have been my decision whether or not to accompany the team, not Kaldur's. I wasn't useless. The blistering was almost healed on my arm and I could use my other arm! Kaldur was being ridiculous!

Looking back on moments like this I think just one thing; I was such a dumb jerk. It's amazing how many moments like this I've had in my short life.

As I slammed the door of my room my cell began to ring. I ripped it savagely from its place on my nightstand and flipped it open. It was Jack.

I remained silent, waiting for him to speak. All my anger dissipated in that one moment and all I wanted to do was cry. I feared that if I opened my mouth to speak I would lose control.

"Cay?" Jack asked tentatively. "Are you there?"

"Yeah," I managed to choke out. "What's up?"

"Not too much kiddo," he replied slowly. "I was wondering if you had any time off from crime fighting this week to spend with your dear, old godfather."

"Yeah, well… there's today."

"Excuse me?"

"Come get me," I said in a small voice. "I'm free today."

"Don't you usually—"

"I'll explain when you get here," I insisted, cutting him off. "Just… come now."

"Okay," he said. "I'm on my way. It'll take a few hours but I should be there by eight or nine. I'll see you then, okay?"

"Okay, thanks Jack."

I shut the phone and sat heavily down on my bed. I felt tears pricking at my eyes and I dragged the back of my hand across my face. I wouldn't cry.

I didn't usually get angry but… I was no superhero, just a genetically constructed teenager with the ability to ooze flammable hydrocarbon gel. I was a freak among the heroes and a freak among the normal people. I didn't fit in anywhere. And after the last outing with the team I could see that. I had no mentor. I had no hero alias. I was Caelyn Tare. Water burned me like acid. I was a complete moron. After this outburst I would probably have no friends.

Maybe I should go back to that, I thought, go back to being just Cay.

As I sat on the edge of my bed looking down at my hands, I realized something. I didn't even know if I wanted to be a superhero. If I wanted to be the one to save the day. I didn't care if I had a city that dedicated a day of the month in my honor, I didn't want the key to the aforementioned city. After everything that had happened, from the time Tess had thrown me off that boat to right then, I realized… I just wanted to go home.

* * *

Jack picked me up later that night. I had packed a few outfits into a backpack and had taken my suit and mask, just in case. I met him out front of the cave's normal entrance as he refused to use the transporter. He was sitting in his silver sports car. As I walked towards it I heard someone call my name from behind me.

Turning around I saw Batman striding purposefully towards me. He stopped a few steps away and crossed his arms across his chest.

"You did not accompany the team on the mission."

I held his gaze and nodded. "Apparently my services were not needed."

"That is really of no importance to me," he continued. "What is important is that the League has come to a decision about you and your… unique circumstances."

"I thought they had decided I had to stay here," I cut in.

"Your powers are under control and you are able to protect yourself. Keeping you here is not necessary to the safety of you or those around you."

"I'm confused. What about Tess? Are you telling me… I can go?"

"The League is on the trail of your mother and those she works for. She will not trouble you. As to your other question; the team is taking a much needed break. The results of their last mission were less than desirable. Take the time on your own to make a decision. The League awaits your answer." He fixed me with a long, hard stare. "Think this through Caelyn. Your teammates should be back in a week's time. An answer at that time would be acceptable."

"Thanks Batman," I muttered, walking away. "I'll get back to you on that."

I came up to Jack's passenger side door and he waved.

"Hey there!" He laughed as I pulled open the door. "What's up?"

I threw my backpack into the back seat and fell into the passenger seat beside him.

"Drive. Get me out of here."

He looked at me questioningly as he placed his hand on the gear shift, moving it into first. The car began to roll forward.

"What's up with you Cay? You look… hey are you okay?"

I shook my head as I stared out the window. "I don't want to talk about it."

"C'mon Cay," he wheedled. "The only way to get over it is to talk about it."

I didn't respond. The town of Happy Harbor was speeding past as we merged onto the freeway. After what seemed like hours I broke my moody silence.

"Where are we going?"

"Metropolis," Jack replied with a wry grin, "and I've got a surprise for you! It'll turn that frown upside down!"

* * *

A surprise indeed. Jack had bought a penthouse apartment with a bathroom, bedroom and training space all for me. He had moved all my stuff from my old home in a few days before and had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to surprise me. It was strange seeing my desk, books, schoolbag and knickknacks in the modern space. Stranger still, they didn't feel like they were mine anymore.

I turned back to Jack. He was watching me with barely suppressed excitement.

"So?"

"It's great," I said with feigned enthusiasm, dropping onto the bed. "Thanks Jack."

He lowered himself down next to me. "Well, it's the least I can do Cay."

I smiled slightly and began fiddling with a loose thread on the comforter.

"You wanna tell me what's up?" Jack asked. "I really don't like awkward silences."

"I don't think I have to live with the team," I replied quietly. "Batman said the League believes I can handle my powers sufficiently. I have a week to think about it."

"So… you don't have to go back?"

"I don't know. I think I have to choose between the team or… this." I sounded pathetic to my own ears and Jack frowned, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Well… if you want a place to stay, you can stay here," he said, trying to seem nonchalant.

I looked around the room. "I would love to, but…"

"You want to stay with the team?" he supplied, his eyes meeting mine.

I looked down at the floor and hesitated. "I don't know what I want to do."

"You'll have to choose eventually."

"I'm sixteen—"

"Not quite," Jack interrupted with a wry grin.

"Whatever," I muttered, "I shouldn't have to make decisions that are going to mess with the rest of my life."

He smiled ruefully. "Unfortunately we all have to make decisions like that sooner or later."

"That's stupid," I huffed.

"That's life." He sighed. "But let's not dwell on that! How much time do you have off?"

"Batman told me I had a week or so to decide. The team won't have any missions so I guess… if it's okay, I'll just stay here."

Jack grinned. "We're going to have so much fun!"

I feigned a smile. I really doubted that.

* * *

The apartment was nice. Jack disappeared for a while to get us dinner and I wandered around, familiarizing myself with its layout. When I discovered his monster TV my exploration stopped and I watched a horror movie until he returned carrying a bag of Chinese take-out.

"You hungry?" he asked with a grin.

I nodded and smiled halfheartedly. "Sure am."

He sauntered into the kitchen and assembled the necessary plates and utensils. I unpacked the various dishes he had brought and in a few minutes we were sitting on either side of his kitchen table.

"So you never did elaborate about what happened back at Mount Justice," he said through a mouthful of rice. "Why're you still all mopey?"

I swallowed my mouthful of noodles and dropped my fork beside my plate. "I'm not mopey. Batman had a mission for the team. Basic recon, nothing really dangerous, and Kaldur wouldn't let me join the rest of the team."

Jack's gaze flicked to my arm. I scowled.

"My arm is fine," I said, placing my right hand over the bandaging. "The blistering is almost completely healed."

"Well, I think maybe you took Kaldur's request that you remain behind a little too personally." He threw up his hands with a laugh as I glared at him and pointedly speared a chicken ball. "What do you really think of Kaldur anyway?"

The question caught me off guard and my face colored.

"I don't know," I replied indignantly. "I thought he was a pretty good guy but he was pretty infuriating today."

"Ah, young love," Jack sighed as he popped the lid off a container of soup. "So very hilarious."

"Young love? What – I – no," I spluttered. "I am not in love with anyone!"

"Your denial is only cementing the idea more firmly in my mind. You think Kaldur is quite handsome don't you? Does he have a girlfriend?"

I glared at him wordlessly across the table. He grinned impishly.

"You're crushing on Kaldur!" he crowed. "I knew it!"

"You sound like a thirteen year old girl," I sniffed, returning my attention to my noodles. "And what about Amy?"

Jack narrowed his eyes. "We are very well thank you."

"So… did the chocolate and stuffed animals win her over?" I asked innocently.

He groaned. Jack didn't like being reminded of his drunken escapade. "Amy happily took me back after I agreed to never leave the country without her express permission. I thought you promised to never bring this up again!"

"That was before you began teasing me about liking my team mates," I said simply.

"Then I won't tease you anymore," he replied. "Though I'm fairly sure you're head over heels for—"

"Jack," I interrupted holding up a chicken ball, "one more word and I will shove this chicken ball down your throat."

"Alright, alright," he chuckled. "I'll let it slide… for now."

We lapsed into a comfortable silence as we finished the rest of the food. Sitting back in his chair and nibbling at his fortune cookie Jack was watching me closely.

"There's still something on your mind," he said suddenly.

I remained silent and toyed with my fortune cookie's wrapper.

"Ca-ay," he whined. "Tell me!"

"I don't want to abandon the team. But I don't know if I want to be a superhero." I paused. "I don't know what to do."

"Well… that makes things difficult."

"I know! Everything that's happened so far has been out of my control. My powers, what happened to my father… and now that I do have a decision to make, I can't. I miss my friends, but I've made new ones. New friends that are more like me than my old ones could ever be. But my old friends know me. We've been in school together since kindergarten. I don't want to give either of them up but I have to choose between one or the other because the two groups just can't mix."

"Why not?"

"They just can't," I said simply.

I watched Jack. I could see the wheels in his head turning.

"Do you _like_ having powers, Cay?" Jack asked quietly.

I looked down at my plate, avoiding his gaze. "I never wanted to be a hero. It's not something that comes naturally."

"What do you mean?"

"I'd rather be saved," I replied, "than be the one doing the saving."

Again we slipped into silence.

"Would you be happier without your powers?"

"I don't know," I said. "Before everything was so simple… Maybe, I would be happier."

Jack nodded solemnly as he rose to his feet. "Then I have a proposition for you. Do you want me to permanently suppress your powers?"

I stared at him in surprise for a moment. "What?"

"When I designed the complexes that create the gel you burn I created a sort of failsafe. A compound that could suppress the complexes for a short length of time so that under no conditions could any hydrocarbon compounds be produced. It was actually what your father was giving you in the pills. I still have all the data on the compound. With a few small adjustments it could very well present a permanent solution to your problem. You could have your normal life back… you could… live here, with me." He watched me carefully as he spoke.

I was silent for a moment. With my powers gone everything could go back to how it used to be. I could go back to school, hang out with my friends. But did I really want it? Living at Mount Justice had opened my eyes. There were bad people in the world. Really bad people. The League was all that stood between them and the rest of the world that was too stupid to sit up and take notice. I could be a part of that. I could be keeping people safe and work to maintain world security. My powers made me different. I should use them to help. But I didn't want to.

Maybe Kaldur was right. Maybe the team wasn't for me. They had all been groomed since they were young to be heroes. I was just a biology project my father created on a whim. Not really hero material.

I looked up at Jack. "I would like that Jack."

* * *

For the rest of the week I loafed around the apartment. I watched TV, ate the junk food Jack bought me and was generally lazy.

At Jack's prompting I went down to the mall once by myself. I didn't see anything I wanted though and came home empty-handed, much to his dismay.

On the second last night of my free time I got an email from Myr and Sam. They were wondering when I had gotten back from England and why I hadn't called them. I didn't even know that I had been to England.

"Jack," I said nonchalantly turning around in the computer chair as he walked through the apartment door, "what do you know about me going to England?"

He smiled slightly and stood behind me, scanning the message. "Well… when you first were taken in by the League Miss Spruce told your friends that due to your father's death you had gone to visit relatives in England. It explained your absence and inability to respond to their frequent attempts to contact you."

"I could still send emails from England," I said.

"You were living in a really remote part," he replied with a grin.

"I can't believe that they bought that."

"Frankly, neither can I."

I paused and turned back to the computer. I began writing my reply.

"I think I'll go to the mall with them tomorrow. There's a back to school super sale or something at the mall downtown," I said, typing furiously. "They'll like that."

"And what about the team?" he asked, lowering himself onto a chair next to me.

I paused, my hands resting on the edge of the keyboard.

"I guess I'll have to get in contact with Batman," I sighed. "I can't leave them hanging."

"Then you've made your decision?"

I nodded. "The team… I don't fit in. They'll do fine without me."

Jack looked at me sadly. "I think that you might be letting Ka—"

"This is _my_ decision," I said firmly. "If I do this I can live with you. I can go back to school. My life can be normal again."

"I don't think anything will ever be normal again, kiddo," he replied sadly. "I am your godfather after all."

I grinned and punched him lightly in the stomach. "How's the compound coming?"

"Fine," he said shortly. "I should actually get back to that. Don't go to bed too late. I won't be back until early tomorrow morning."

"Leaving me alone?" I chuckled. I returned to my typing, my mood quickly sobering as Jack left with a holler of goodbye.

I sent the email and sat back to wait for a reply. After a few minutes of waiting I got bored and rose out of my chair. I wandered into my room and rooted through my backpack. At the bottom of the bag was my communicator. After the Amazo mission Robin had fixed it. However I hadn't had the opportunity to use it again. I slipped it into my jacket that was lying on the bed with a smile playing at my lips. Reaching back into the bag I pulled out my suit and mask.

Myr always used to tell me normalcy was overrated. However, she was justifying her strange taste in music, not debating between continuing training as a superhero or not. I stood, staring at my suit as I waged a silent war with myself. After debating for several minutes I threw my suit into the nearest bag and stomped out of the room. If only I could agree with myself.

* * *

I woke up early the next day and found that Sam had emailed me back. We were meeting at ten in Central Mall in the downtown core. As I rolled out of bed the black bag I had thrown my suit into fell off the bedpost and the suit slid out onto the floor. I looked at it for a moment before tucking it into the brown tasseled bag I planned to take to the mall. What could it hurt? Maybe someone would need to be saved from a burning building. I slowly got dressed and was just about to leave as Jack burst through the door.

"Good morning Cay!" he crowed happily, hugging me. "You sleep well."

I pulled away from him and nodded, my eyes still heavy with sleep. "You seem… jubilant. Do you have something for me?"

He smiled. "I do! Hold out your hand!"

I did as he instructed. Reaching into his pocket he produced a small blue pill enclosed in a plastic sleeve. He dropped it into my outstretched hand.

"Any special instructions?" I asked, examining the pill.

"Swallow it, don't chew it and if it tastes a little minty don't worry about it…" He trailed off as he hurriedly backed out the door. "I have to meet Amy, see you later!"

I looked down at the pill in my hand. "Thanks Jack."

* * *

I arrived at the mall first. I stood outside, leaning against one of the monstrous cement planters waiting for Myr and Sam. The pill in the palm of my hand I weighed my choices. Maybe I could go back to the team. But I doubted it. Why would they take me back? I wasn't particularly useful and I had freaked out on Kaldur over something trivial. There would always be another mission. I had let my hurt pride get in the way. I had been stupid.

I shut my eyes and popped the pill in my mouth. As I swallowed I tried to ignore the twisting in my gut.

"Hey!"

I turned around at the sound of the familiar voice. Sam and Myr were standing in the doorway behind me.

"How did you get there?" I asked, trying to make my voice sound light. My feet felt like lead weights as I walked towards them.

Myr ran up to me and threw her arms around my neck. She was about a head shorter than I was and her brown ponytail bounced in my face as she tightened her stranglehold.

"Cay! We've missed you so much! How are you? That was terrible about your father! I couldn't believe it when Miss Spruce told us!" she gushed. "How was England?"

I extricated myself from her grasp and laughed. "Wow Myr, are we playing twenty questions?"

"Yeah, geez Myr, give her some room to breathe, we've got all day," Sam said, trying to seem nonchalant.

"You want to know just as much as I do," Myr snapped. "But you think you're too cool to just say it."

"Come on, let's get inside. Then you guys can interrogate me as much as you want," I laughed weakly.

"I'm all for interrogating!" Myr grinned, grabbing my hand and towing me towards the doors. "Come on Sam! Follow me!"

I hadn't realized how much I had missed them. I was happy I could spend more time with them then. Happy they wouldn't be in danger because of me. Maybe my life could return to how it used to be.

* * *

We spent the whole morning shopping. Myr had brought her father's credit card and Sam had a boat-load of cash from her summer job on her uncle's goat farm. I hadn't brought any cash because I hadn't planned on buying anything. Hanging out with them took my mind off my situation with the team though. I was able to focus on being a normal person again. No training, no missions, no weird lycra suits.

But I still felt something was wrong. Why would the knots in my stomach not go away?

As we finished shopping Myr complained about being hungry. We made our way down to the food court and she skipped off to order something for all of us. Sam and I found a table and sat down to wait for her.

"So, do you have to re-do the end of semester?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," I replied. "Probably."

"That sucks," she said, looking over my shoulder. "Don't look now Cay but hotties at twelve o'clock."

I grinned halfheartedly. There was only one hottie I wanted to see. And we would probably have no reason to speak ever again.

"Give me a description before I turn around and alert them of my interest," I informed her, examining my nails.

A wide grin spread across her face. "Alright. Good looking number one is tall, dark and handsome. Can't see eye color from here but has black hair and muscles to spare. Good looking number two is tanned, light hair, and again, muscled."

A chill ran down my spine. She had just described two people I knew very well. I moved to turn around.

"No don't," she hissed. "They're looking this way."

"But I want to see!" I complained impatiently fiddling with my wallet. Was it really who I thought it was?

"They're walking towards us. Cay. Why are they walking towards us?" She looked hurriedly down at her bags. "I think they saw me staring."

"Well you were ogling them like a hungry lion ogles a zebra," I whispered, slowly spinning in my seat; I had to know. "Turning around now."

Sam groaned. "Now they'll know that we were checking them out."

It felt as though the ground had been pulled from under my feet as I spun back around to face Sam. My stomach in my throat I wanted to vomit. Kaldur and Superboy were making their way through the throng of teens crowding the food court. How had they found me?

"Do you know them?" Sam hissed quietly. When I didn't respond she slammed her fist into the table top, making me jump. "You totally know them!"

"Shut up Sam," I said.

"What!" She looked shocked.

"I know them," I informed her. "I met them in England… in a culinary club."

"Culinary? I didn't know you… never mind, why are they here!" she asked stealing a glace over my shoulder. "Please tell me you brought me the tanned one as a present for being such an understanding friend."

"Hey!"

"Well you can't have both," she complained. "C'mon which one are you after? I'll take the one that's left."

"You can't have either," I said shortly as they neared the table. "Tall, dark and handsome is taken."

"Then I'm going after Mr. Tanned."

I uttered an indignant snort as Superboy shoved aside a lanky dark haired boy and came to a stop beside our table. Kaldur was close behind.

"Hey guys, fancy seeing you here," I said weakly as Sam beamed at Kaldur.

With a smug sense of satisfaction I noticed he was completely ignoring her, his gaze fixed on me.

"Cay, you are here with your friends?" Kaldur asked, his gaze flickering briefly to Sam.

"Yeah," I replied, unsettled by his sudden appearance. How could I tell him what I had done? "We were shopping."

"I need to speak with you."

I gazed up at him. He was better looking than I remembered. "About?"

He hesitated and I knew they had come about a mission. I wouldn't have thought it possible but my stomach plummeted even farther into the soles of my feet and a feeling of dread shivered down my spine. Just great. Now I had to explain I was abandoning the team. And I had been having such a passable day.

"Follow me," I sighed rising from my chair.

"Ah, excuse me," Sam interrupted. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Oh…Yes… uh, this is Conner and this is Calvin," I said pointing to Superboy and Kal in turn. "I met them at… a weekend culinary retreat while I was in England. Conner will keep you company while I talk with Calvin. Be right back."

I grabbed Kal's hand and towed him away from the table as Sam tried unsuccessfully to flirt with Superboy. He watched us go with some resentment and sunk into my unoccupied chair.

I towed Kal through the crowded food court towards the bathrooms. We had cleared the masses when I extracted my hand from his grip. His hands were warm. My whole body was ice cold. He followed me into a deserted corridor just off the main hallway that led to the loading docks. I had worked for a summer at a boutique on the second floor. I knew all the less traveled hallways and back corridors.

"Okay," I sighed, slowing to a stop and turning to face him. "What is it?"

"Before I begin, I need to apologize," he said, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I should not have said the things I did and it was wrong of me to deny you a place on the mission. You are a valuable member of the team and I… I am sorry."

"You don't need to apologize, Kal," I replied quietly. "You were just trying to do what was in the team's best interest. I was a little pig-headed myself." And an irrational fool to get rid of my powers on a childish whim,I added silently.

He smiled slightly. "But only a little." His face sobered and he took a step towards me. "Batman has assigned us a mission. We are to investigate an abnormal surge in energy readings the League detected in the Bialyan desert. Megan, Artemis, Wally and Robin are in the bioship on the roof. Due to the inactivity of your com-link we were forced to track your cell phone signal, hence our presence in this… gathering place."

"A mall," I said with a small smile. "It's called a mall."

"We must leave this mall now," he informed me. "The flight to Bialya will take several hours."

I was at a loss for words. Why had Jack given me that stupid pill? Why had I asked him to make the stupid pill? The dread I had felt before returned as I took a deep breath.

"I can't come with you." My words were a jumbled mess as I struggled to hold his gaze. It took Kal a moment to process them.

"Is your arm not completely healed?" he asked with concern. "I believe Batman said this would be strictly reconnaissance. No chance of combat of any kind. Your injury—"

"It's not my arm, Kaldur," I said, dropping my gaze to the tiles at his feet. I couldn't look him in the eye, I was so ashamed of myself.

"Then… what? If you are angry with me—"

"It's not you," I said quickly. The confusion on his face was making me feel increasingly guilty. "I couldn't stay angry at you. Batman, no, the League gave me the choice to stay on with the team or return to my old life. After what happened before the mission… I was planning on choosing the latter." I paused as he stared at me wide eyed. "Jack's made it so I don't have to worry about my powers any more. I… I won't be of much use to the team."

"Perhaps not at this instance but—"

"No Kal," I said shortly. "Not ever. The suppressant is permanent."

"Cay, if what I said had anything to—"

"Please stop. I should be apologizing, not you. I was stupid and as usual I acted without thinking. Now I have to live with the consequences. And so do all of you. I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he said. "I should not have returned to Atlantis without speaking to you."

He had gone back to Atlantis? That wasn't important, I reminded myself fiercely. My stupid decision was.

"No, I was an idiot," I replied. "Please tell the team I'm sorry."

"Come with us, perhaps there is a way for Batman or another member of the League to reverse the effects of the suppressant."

I shook my head. "Thank you for everything."

"I will not stand by and let you—"

"You have to," I said firmly. "I made my choice. The wrong choice. I should have stayed with you, with the team. But what's done is done. Good luck on the mission."

I turned on my heel and walked off down the hallway, back into the food court. I could hear Kaldur calling after me, his footsteps echoed off the walls behind me. I quickened my pace, ignoring him as I disappeared into the crowd of people in front of a stand selling churros. Tears stung at my eyes as he emerged from the hall, frantically scanning the crowd for some sign of me. How had I ever been mad at him? There wasn't a mean bone in Kaldur's body. My own stupidity was shocking.

After a few minutes of searching, he gave up and returned to Superboy who was sitting awkwardly at the table with Sam and Myr. After a short exchange of words Kal and Supey walked off, leaving Myr looking amused and Sam looking peeved.

All I wanted to do was collapse into a sobbing heap on the ground. But since that was neither dignified nor socially acceptable I managed to maintain my composure and made my way back to Sam and Myr. I felt hollow. I felt stupid. I wanted to go home.

"Cay!" Myr cried as I walked up to the table. "Your friends just left!"

"Mr. Handsome was a total dud," Sam complained. "I got maybe six words out of him the entire time you and Mr. Tanned were gone!"

I laughed hollowly. "You were lucky. He's generally the strong silent type."

"So… why didn't you leave with Mr. Tanned?" She asked slyly.

"He came to ask about a recipe I had created," I sighed. "I gave it to him and he's going back to England."

"You're letting a boy who's that good looking just leave?" Myr asked through a mouthful of potato chips. "Why!"

"Because… he's part of an elite culinary team," I replied brokenly, "and I'm just… not at that level. We don't have a lot of things in common. The time I did spend with him I thought maybe we did. But I can see that… we're too different. Two different worlds right? Things just wouldn't work out. He'd be too busy… working and I'd just be a distraction."

I paused and studied them both. They were actually buying the bogus culinary school story. I could hardly believe it.

"Cay," Sam said bluntly fixing me with her grey eyed gaze. "One; you are being a moron. Two; you sound like a kid's movie, different worlds my foot!" She paused. "Stop it. That boy was ridiculously handsome. You should be all over him. For one thing, I don't give a damn how elite his team is. You will watch every freaking cooking show until you can make a soufflé or a soup that will get you on that team and then you will shamelessly flirt with him until you finally get a date. Do you hear me? Special skills don't matter, perseverance wins the day every time. And if you can't get on his team because you suck? Flirt with him anyway! Who cares if you're a distraction! Date that boy! He was staring at you the whole time we were talking to them." She placed a hand on my arm. "For once in your life you seem to have found a guy almost desperate enough to ask you out."

Myr shrieked with laughter as she slapped Sam's hand off my arm. "You're terrible!"

I smiled sadly. "Thanks."

Sam and Myr looked at each other and then back to me, their smiles had faded. All I saw was concern. Was this what I had wanted?

"I should really get home," I said rising from my chair. "See you guys later."

* * *

As I was leaving the mall for the second time that day I wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. I had really screwed up. I trudged through the revolving doors and stopped under the overhang of the entrance. It was starting to that point my day really could not have gotten any worse. Then I heard a car horn sound. I looked up.

Jack's silver sports car was parked by the curb and he was waving furiously trying to catch my attention. I shot him a puzzled look before jogging over and wrenching open the passenger side door. Jumping into the seat I slammed the door behind me.

"What're you doing here?" I asked him, reaching for the seat belt.

"I could ask you the same question," he replied.

"Excuse me?"

He sighed. "Your team came to get you, did they not?"

I looked away from him, my eyes burning with the tears I was holding back. "They did."

"Then answer my question! Why are you still here?" he asked impatiently drumming his hands on the steering wheel.

"Because I'm useless," I said tearfully. "I don't have anything to bring to the table any more. I'm no better than a civilian."

Jack looked at me in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"The pill!" I replied, turning angrily to him. "That stupid pill!"

He watched me, mouth agape as I furiously wiped the tears from my eyes. "You took the pill?"

I nodded.

"You weren't supposed to take the pill!" he cried, aghast. "I thought you would realize how ridiculous you were being and just throw it out!"

I stared at him blankly. "You're telling me—"

"The pill was a placebo anyway! It wasn't even a cool placebo; it was a tic-tac!"

The relief I felt was overpowered by the indignation and anger that flooded through me.

"You gave me a placebo, a tic-tac, and told me I would be powerless if I took it?" I said in a dangerously low voice. "What were you trying to do!"

"Well you're silly for thinking I would actually manufacture something so dangerous to you. If it existed and Tess got her hands on it she could easily incapacitate you. Secondly, if you were stupid enough to take it you would be forever at Tess's mercy and the sacrifices your father made to create you would be for nothing. Not to mention it would probably destroy all your internal processes." He threw his hands up in the air in disbelief. "I can't believe you took the pill."

I glared at him angrily.

"My _father's_ sacrifices?" I hissed. Forgot sad, I was angry. Furious. Livid. "What about my sacrifices? What about my mother's sacrifices? What about Miss Spruce's sacrifices? My father had nothing at all invested in me. Don't make it seem like he cared. He didn't. Ever. Any sacrifice he made was purely driven by results. A sacrifice was always worth making if he came out on top." I pushed open the door and stepped out into the rain. It was pouring but I didn't care. Jack had made a serious error in judgment. Drunk dialing I can stand. This was taking it one step too far.

"Cay, don't do this," he said miserably. "Please, get back in the car."

I pulled the communicator out of my jacket pocket and walked away from him. "We'll talk tomorrow Jack. I'm not in the mood for it right now."

I reached the cover of the overhang as his car pulled away from the curb and roared off out of the parking lot. I watched him go, the anger dissipating as fast as it had come. He really was only trying to help. I would have to go make amends tomorrow. I slipped the communicator into my ear and pressed the button. I prayed that the team wasn't too far out of range.

"Uh, hello?" It was Wally.

"I never thought I'd say this," I laughed shakily, "but Wally I am so glad to hear your voice."

_Cay! You're online_, Megan's voice sounded within my head, _Kaldur has told us—_

_I was wrong!_ I replied happily. _Long story short Jack didn't actually suppress my powers. I can still help… if you want my help, that is. I understand if—_

_Of course we do_, Kaldur responded. _You are a part of the team. To not have you with us would be a great loss._

_Thanks Kal._

_Returning to the mall_, Megan interrupted happily. _I will inform you when we have touched down._

_Okay,_ I replied. _I'll meet you on the roof._

I rushed back into the mall and made my way to the closest bathroom. Locking myself into one of the stalls I began rummaging through my bag. At the bottom was my suit. I grinned. I knew there was a reason for bringing it. The domino mask Miss Spruce had given me was there too.

I changed quickly and pulled my jeans and jacket back on over it. I tucked my mask inside one of the jacket's many pockets. Leaving the bathroom I sprinted down the hallway to a set of stairs that led up four stories to the roof of the building. As I reached the landing on the fourth floor Megan's voice sounded in my head.

_We're here!_

I pushed open the door as the bioship shimmered into view. The ramp descended from the hull and I mounted it with a feeling that this was how things were meant to be.

* * *

The team greeted me warmly as I fell into the only unoccupied seat next to Wally.

"Cay, you had me worried when Kaldur said you weren't coming back," he said. "We hadn't had the chance to go on even one date."

Artemis punched him in the arm. "You're an idiot."

"Don't hit me!"

"Don't make stupid comments!" she retorted, crossing her arms angrily. "Glad you're back Cay."

"Indeed," Kaldur said sincerely.

I smiled. "I'm glad too."

"Which reminds me!" Robin said suddenly. "Now that you've decided to stay on with the team for good you need an alias!"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh boy."

"Now don't be like that," he laughed. "We all have aliases!"

"Okay, very true," I conceded. "Any ideas?"

"Flame Chick!" Wally cried. "Oh, or how about, Flame Girl?"

"Wally, your mind to mouth filter really needs tweaking," Artemis sighed. "Let's go for class. How about—"

"Kid Flame," Robin laughed. "You and Wally can have the same initials!"

"Now you're just being ridiculous," I chuckled. "C'mon, if I have an alias it has to be classy and memorable."

Everyone was silent. I had no idea what I would call myself. Something relating to fire, obviously but other than that… I was at a loss.

"Ignis," Superboy said simply.

"Bless you," Wally said absently.

Superboy shot him a disgruntled look then turned his gaze to me. "No. Ignis. For your alias."

Ignis. I liked the sound of it.

"How did you come up with that?" I asked.

"Fire, in Latin," he replied.

"You know Latin? Cool!"

The corners of his mouth turned up forming the slightest of smiles. "Just something I picked up."

"Thanks Supey," I said, slipping my mask out from my jacket and securing it behind my ears. "I like it. Ignis. Very classy. What do you guys think?"

Artemis nodded. "I agree. Classy."

"It suits you," Megan agreed.

Kaldur nodded. "It does."

"Good call Supey," Robin chuckled tapping away at his wrist device.

Wally looked a little put out. "I liked Kid Flame."

"Sorry Wally," I grinned. "You can name the next member if they don't have an alias."

"But what are the chances we'll get another member anytime soon?" he complained.

* * *

We landed in the desert just after dusk. Filing out onto the sand Superboy lugged a monstrous bundle of equipment down the ramp and out to the bottom of one of the many dunes around us.

"What's it for?" I asked Artemis as Kaldur sent Megan off to scope out the area.

"No idea," Artemis replied. "Robin and Kaldur know; that's all that matters."

"I'm detecting thermal signatures all over the place," Robin muttered, the screen of the wrist device illuminating his masked face. "They seem centered around where the League detected the energy surge."

"Take Artemis and secure the perimeter," Kaldur instructed. "If you can, investigate the cluster of signatures. Report back in thirty minutes."

They nodded and set off. I turned to Kaldur.

"What should I do?" I asked.

"You will remain here," he said simply, "with me."

I liked the sound of that plan.

Turning to Superboy he nodded to the dune over which Megan had disappeared not too long ago. "Follow Miss Martian. Provide assistance if she encounters trouble."

Supey nodded and marched off leaving Kaldur and I alone. I leaned up against the machine as he took up a post not too far away. Neither of us spoke for a long time.

"How was your time off?" I asked as the silence between us became unbearable.

"It was good to return to Atlantis," he replied after a moment of thought. "Things were… different than when I had left."

He trailed off and I sunk down onto the sand. "Good, different?"

"In a way… yes," he said with a small smile. "My mind is clear once again. And what about your downtime?"

"I loafed around Jack's apartment and felt sorry for myself," I laughed. "I watched more TV in the last week than I have in the last few months."

"I am—"

"If you apologize again I will kick you."

He grinned. "That would be most unpleasant."

"Then don't apologize," I replied curtly. "Because you don't have anything to be sorry for."

"No," he said slowly. "I do. I need to speak to you about—"

_I'm in._

I stifled a groan as Megan's voice echoed through my head. Perfect timing.

_Good_, Kaldur responded, _but tread carefully, camouflage is not invisible._

"You needed to talk to me about what?" I pressed.

"About—"

_They're testing something… _Megan's voice reverberated through my head and judging by Kaldur's expression it had sounded in his as well. What had he wanted to say?

Megan's broadcast continued. _It's alive! In pain… hello? Can you hear me?_

_Megan? _I asked after a moment of mental silence. _What is it?_

I looked to Kaldur. "Are you getting anything?"

"No," he replied, his brow furrowed, "something—"

My head exploded with pain. I dropped down to my knees, fingers tangled in my hair as I screamed. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. It was a thousand red hot fingers raking across the inside of my skull. Through the roaring pain I could hear one resounding command.

_Forget, forget, forget_.

I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. I fought against it desperately. I would not forget. Who was this voice? Not Megan. A Bialyan? Someone had hacked our mental link. But how? I pushed the thought from my mind. Kaldur. I could hear him beside me. He was in pain. I could help him. If only I could get to him. But I couldn't move. My body wouldn't listen to me. I was doubled over, kneeling in the sand. Kaldur. He was close.

Tears clouded my vision as I forced my eyes open. I was clawing my way back. The pain was abating, albeit slowly. Kaldur was lying on his side in the sand. He was so close. I reached a shaky hand out to him.

_Forget_.

The pain returned, double its initial intensity. I tried to ignore the insistent command. But at last I gave in. I couldn't fight it any longer. The last thing I saw was Kaldur splayed in the sand next to me as I slipped into the beckoning darkness.

_Forget._

I gave in. I forgot.


	8. Memories

**A/N: As promised, here it is! Enjoy!**

There was something gritty against my cheek. I groaned. Opening my eye a crack I winced. The sun was bright on my face. Where had I fallen asleep? I sat up abruptly as I took in my surroundings with a rising feeling of fear and dread. I was in a desert.

Clambering to my feet I spun around, searching for something familiar. I had no idea where I was or how I got there. I was in a desert. How had I ended up in a desert? There definitely weren't any deserts around Metropolis.

I dropped back down into the sand and stared dejectedly at a small rock in front of me. Was it a joke? Sam and Myr had never done anything _this_ elaborate before. As I tried to piece together how I had got there I looked down at my clothes. I definitely hadn't been wearing the black bodysuit at Myr's party the night before. And what was on my face? I pulled of the mask and stared down at it. Was I dressed as a… superhero?

"What's going on?" I muttered angrily.

Then I heard car engines. From a sand dune to my right a jeep roared over the crest and came to a sudden stop. There were four men in it. I sighed in relief as I rose to my feet. Finally someone to help me! They looked like they were from the military. Was I on a training ground for the Army?

The men shouted in some foreign language as one manned the turret mounted on the roof of their jeep.

I stared at them. Why were they pointing that machine gun at me?

"Do… no move!" one shouted in broken English raising a gun in my direction.

He looked to the man to his left and barked something that sounded like an order.

"Please," I said. "I just need to know—"

"No move!" he ordered, his men raising their guns menacingly.

I looked nervously from one to the other. "What's going on here?" I took a step towards them.

One of the men raised their weapons and fired a volley of bullets at the sand beneath my feet. I fell back with a cry of surprise.

"What's wrong with you!" I cried. They were crazy, attacking a civilian was against the law! "I need help!"

The man who appeared to be in charge raised his gun and sighted down the barrel. He uttered one word and all his men followed suit. I watched them in horror. They were going to kill me.

I squeezed my eyes shut. There was nothing I could do. The sound of gun fire reached my ears. But after a moment I realized I felt no pain. Opening my eyes slowly I saw the last of the soldiers flung from the Jeep by a thin ribbon of something that looked like water. He hit the sand and lay motionless as the arm retreated into a device held by a darkly tanned guy.

He turned towards me and I began to retreat, scrabbling backwards in the sand.

"Please, do not be alarmed," he said. "I am not going to hurt you."

"Who are you?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady. Something that was easier said than done. "Where am I?"

"I am Aqualad," he replied. "As to where we are, I do not know. I awoke in the shadow of a strange machine a few hours ago. These military men are patrolling the desert." He nodded to the men he had thrown out of the Jeep. "Those that I have encountered seem to know who I am but I do not know who they are."

He swayed a little as he came to a stop in front of me. Offering me his hand I took it and he pulled me from the sand.

"I'm Cay," I said, removing my hand from his. "Thanks for… uh, that."

"Thanks are not in order," he said, his voice a bit broken. "I will always… Aquaman…" He trailed off and raised a hand to his head.

"Are you okay?"

"I feel…" He fell soundlessly forward and landed face down in the sand.

I groaned. Just my luck. I get rescued then said rescuer dies. Perfect. I knelt down next to him and shook his shoulder.

"Hey… hey." I waited for a response. "Aqualad?" Nothing.

I rolled him over. He was still breathing. That was good. I felt for a pulse. He had that too. Another plus for my fallen savior. I looked to the Jeep still parked on the side of the sand dune. I knew how to drive… Maybe… I sighed. It was worth a shot.

"I'll be right back," I told him jogging towards the vehicle. "Don't go anywhere."

Fat chance of that, I thought, he's unconscious.

I approached the Jeep slowly. The keys were still in the ignition. Good. At least I would be able to start it. Driving… now that was an entirely different matter. I slid into the driver's seat and turned the key. The Jeep roared to life and I relaxed a little. It wasn't a stick shift, thankfully. I shifted into drive and slowly began to roll down the dune.

I brought the Jeep up next to where Aqualad was lying on the ground. Shifting back to park and killing the engine I jumped out and wrenched open the back door.

"Aqualad, hey," I knelt down next to him and nudged his shoulder. "C'mon man, I can't lift you into the Jeep. You'll have to help me out."

He muttered something I couldn't understand. It sounded like a foreign language but it wasn't one I recognized. I sighed as I snaked my arms under his armpits. With as much strength as I could muster I pulled him up off the sand and staggered towards the waiting backseat. He weighed a ton. I could hardly walk under his weight and the few feet to the door now seemed like a mile. After much struggling I got him within chucking distance of the open door. With one final grunt I heaved him unceremoniously into the Jeep.

As I moved him into a more natural position I could hear the sloshing of water coming from his backpack. My mouth was dry. I could really use a drink. I turned him over and examined the backpack. There was a button at the edge and I pressed it down. Nothing happened for a moment until there was a gentle hiss and a small trickle of cool water began to flow out of the side.

I quickly grabbed a canteen that had been stashed on the head rest of the driver's seat and filled it almost to the top. The flow stopped and I turned Aqualad back over. Taking a swig from the canteen I ignored the somewhat loamy aftertaste. It was water. Taste really didn't matter when dehydration was a factor. Sliding my hand under Aqualad's head I raised the canteen to his lips. He swallowed a few gulps before pushing away, muttering again in his strange language. Over and over again he repeated, "Tula". What was a Tula? Every now and again he would mumble my name. Why was I on his mind?

Had he been sent here to find me? The webbing between his fingers and the gill-like slits in his neck made me think that he wasn't the best choice to find someone in a desert. Not to mention they kind of creeped me out. Was he part fish?

I arranged his arms and legs in a less haphazard way and slammed the door. I slid into the driver's seat and restarted the engine. On the seat next to me was a gun similar to what the soldiers had used. I grabbed it and placed it on my lap. It couldn't hurt right?

* * *

I had been driving for what seemed like hours. The sun had set a while back and since then I had been driving blind. I had no idea how to turn on the headlights. Before I lost the light I had run into one patrol. My less than expert use of the gun turret mounted on the roof, however, had given me ample time to escape them. It's hard to drive a Jeep when three out of four tires are flat. Other than that though, I had seen no other people. I was worried. Where in the world was I?

In my rearview mirror I could see Aqualad writhing around. He was delirious. Whether it was the heat, dehydration or something else, I didn't know. All I knew was that we needed help. Immediately.

I wasn't paying attention, my mind focused on Aqualad, and the Jeep lurched sideways and then stalled. The engine died with an unhealthy spluttering noise.

_Cay?_

I heard someone call my name and I turned around in the seat. There was no one anywhere around.

"Hello?"

_Cay!_ The voice was in my head. Perfect. _I'm so glad we've found you! We should meet up with you in a few seconds._

"Who are you and what are you doing in my head?" I asked in a panic. I hoisted myself up to the gun turret and scanned the crests of all the sand dunes around me. I placed my finger on the trigger. There was no telling who these people were. Maybe they were the ones who had kidnapped me.

_We did bring you here, _the voice in my head responded cheerily, _but only because you're part of the team!_

At that moment four teens crested the dune directly in front of me. They were all wearing suits reminiscent of the heroes that were on the news all the time. I recognized one of them. Kid Flash.

Then I noticed one of them was green. Her _skin_ was green. And she was floating. I gripped the turret tighter and tried to squash the growing apprehension in my gut. They had brought me here.

"Stay where you are," I instructed, sighting them down the gun turret, pretending I knew what I was doing, "or I will fire."

"Woah, woah," Kid Flash said, holding up his hands. "It's all good. We're all friends here."

"Friends don't take friends to hostile deserts in the middle of nowhere," I snapped. "Where am I?"

"Bialya," the dark haired boy to Kid Flash's right supplied. "We're here on a mission."

"Well I hope that mission is to get me out of here," I said haughtily. "I've been out here all day."

"We all have," the green-skinned girl said. "I can enlighten you on what has happened in the last few months."

"What do you mean—"

"It's September," the blonde girl behind Kid Flash interrupted. "What's the last date you remember?"

"March… oh man," I groaned. "How long have I been out here?"

"A little over twenty-four hours," Kid Flash informed me.

"The whole team's memories were wiped," the green-skinned girl continued. "We don't remember each other or our mission objective."

"Well… we do now," Kid Flash said, sliding a little closer to her. "Thanks to you beautiful."

The blonde-haired girl uttered a disgusted grunt.

"Thanks… Wally," the green-skinned girl replied uncertainly. "Cay, I need to establish a mental link with you so that I can restore the memories you have lost."

I regarded them suspiciously. "How do I know you're not trying to kill me?"

"Trust me, if we wanted to kill you, you'd be dead," the blonde girl said un-slinging a bow from her shoulder.

"Geez, you are so friendly," Kid Flash said dryly. "Now she'll definitely trust us."

"What!"

"We don't want to hurt you," the dark-haired boy said forcefully. "We need your help to find Aqualad."

"You're in league with him?" I asked.

The green-skinned girl nodded as she floated down towards me. I watched her approach in awe. She was floating. Either I was hallucinating or my life had just got a whole lot more exciting.

"We are friends of Aqualad," she said. "Your friends too!"

"If I do this…" I said tentatively. "What will happen?"

"I'll re-access the memories that have been blocked from your mind."

"Will it hurt?"

She smiled. "No."

"Okay," I sighed as I lowered myself down from the turret and pushed open the door. "But first…"

I stepped out onto the sand and yanked open the back door. I looked up to the rest of the team who were slowly following the path the green-skinned girl had taken. Albeit on foot.

"Kaldur!" the green girl cried in relief as she peered over my shoulder into the Jeep's backseat. "Where did you find him Cay?"

"He saved me from a bunch of soldiers," I said with a small shrug. "Then he passed out and I borrowed this Jeep and put him in the backseat. We've been driving around since well before sundown. I was looking for someone to help us but… no such luck. Is he part of your, our, team?"

"Yup," the dark-haired boy said from beside me.

"Good."

"Are you ready?" the green-skinned girl asked.

I nodded and she placed a hand lightly on my forehead. No, it felt like she had placed her hand on my forehead however both her arms remained at her sides. All of a sudden images of my friends, snippets of conversations echoed through my head. Everything came flooding back in a rush. My father, Tess, the team, my powers. Kaldur. Oh, Kaldur.

_Cay, do you…_ Megan's thought trailed off as the last memory of Kal and I talking in the desert faded. _You do_.

In my mind's eye I saw Kaldur, lying in the sand his eyes squeezed shut. I was trying to reach him but then… nothing. Just blackness. I couldn't remember anymore. I had woken up in the desert sometime later.

I swayed on the spot as I raised a hand to my head. The wicked head ache had returned.

"Megan," I said shakily. "That was majorly trippy."

"Cay!" she cried in relief. "I'm glad that worked!"

"Yeah," I replied slowly. "So am I. Now onto Kaldur. He's been out of it for a while. He might… oh no."

The terrible realization of what I had done dawned on me. I had taken all the water from Kaldur's backpack and drank it.

"What?" Artemis asked as Wally peered into the backseat.

"He looks seriously dehydrated," he said as Kal began muttering in Atlantean again.

"Well… he is," I muttered. "The water in his backpack is gone."

"Where did it go?" Robin asked. "Did he waste it on the goons he had to fight earlier?"

"No," I replied. "I kind of… drank it."

"That's disgusting," Artemis chuckled. "He used that same water to fight the mud monster on the last mission."

"No telling how long it's been in his backpack," Wally added.

"Ugh, I hate you both," I groaned. "Robin do you by chance have a toothbrush in that utility belt of yours?"

"Sorry Cay," he grinned. "No such luck."

The loamy taste in my mouth was all I could think about. "Now all I can taste is dirt."

"Shouldn't have drunk the water," Artemis said unsympathetically. "What are we going to do about Kaldur now?"

"Megan, can you bring him back?" I asked.

"Not in this condition." she looked down at him. "He needs to be conscious."

"He needs immediate re-hydration," Robin instructed. "Call the bioship!"

"I can't," she replied, "it's out of range."

"Wally you can—" He shook his head, cutting me off.

"He's too heavy and I'm too low on fuel. Right now, I couldn't even carry her," he said nodding to Artemis.

"Then we take the Jeep," I decided. "Megan you fly ahead and as soon as the bioship is in range I want you to—"

"I can't," she interrupted. "I have to find Superboy. Six months ago he didn't exist, he has no memories. He's acting on animal impulse. I'm the only one who can help him."

"And you're the only one who can help Kaldur," I said heatedly. "Superboy is indestructible. There's nothing in this desert that can harm him. We take Kal to the bioship and get him on the road to recovery then we can _all_ look for Superboy."

"I can't just leave him alone—"

"Megan, Kaldur is going to die. We need your help. He needs your help!" I cried.

Megan stared at me wide eyed. "I-I can't."

"You can!" I said forcefully.

She lurched forward, clutching her head. "No! Superboy's in pain!"

I made a grab for her arm but she was too quick for me. "Megan!"

Cresting a sand dune she was gone. I kicked the sand in frustration. Superboy had survived this long. Another hour wasn't going to kill him. I looked into the backseat of the Jeep. It just might kill Kaldur though.

I turned to the team.

"We need to get him back to the bioship," I said. "The Jeep holds four, but Kal's taking up the entire backseat. Who's going to man the turret and who's going to ride the bumper?"

"I don't need a ride," Wally said. "I think I can make it to the bioship."

"Robin you can locate its GPS?"

He looked up from his wrist device and nodded. "Locked onto the signal now."

"Good, you ride up front with me," I said. "Artemis, care to man the turret?"

She grinned. "With pleasure."

* * *

"Who, or what, do you think has the ability to hack our telepathic link?" I asked Robin as the Jeep sped along a barely visible road.

"I don't know," he replied, "but it could do it again, I'm sure. What we really needed was a plan before Megan rushed off to save Supey."

I sighed and glanced in the rearview mirror at Kaldur. "We sure did."

"Are we almost there?" Artemis called down from her position on the turret.

"Almost," Robin responded quickly. "Ten minutes at the most. If Cay would pick up the pace and stop driving like an old woman we would be there in five."

"Hey, I do not drive like an old woman!"

"Then why is this taking so long?" He returned to his wrist device and we lapsed into silence. Kaldur's mutterings had ceased as his breath came in increasingly shaky gasps.

"Just like a fish out of water," Robin murmured. "I hope we have everything we need back on the ship."

I gripped the wheel tighter. "We'd better."

Wally wheeled in front of us waving his arms and I slammed on my brakes. I stopped inches away from him.

"What are you doing!" I hissed angrily.

His eyes were wide. "Two patrols, incoming and you'll never believe who's with them?"

"Santa Claus," I said sarcastically. He was wasting time. Kal was dying. We didn't have time for this. I could easily drive around the patrols and make it to the bioship in plenty of time.

"Cay… it's Tess," Wally said, ignoring my comment. "At least, I think it is. Back on Santa Prisca I only got a glimpse of her but I think she's with one of the patrols."

I froze. Tess. Anything she was involved in couldn't be good. "We need to get out of here." I looked to Robin. "Now."

I could hear the roar of engines. "Robin."

"One minute," he muttered. "Okay, that way." He pointed towards a craggy peak off in the distance. "We'll avoid the patrols if we hustle."

"Wally, get in the back," I growled, my foot hovering dangerously over the gas. "No one is getting killed."

"Hey, I'm fine—"

"No you aren't. None of us are. This mission was a disaster. We didn't anticipate a telepath as part of the opposing force. We're all exhausted. Get in the car. We're all going home."

He grinned. "I elect Cay as temporary team leader. She's got the commanding tone and everything."

"Seconded," Artemis called.

"Can I be temporary co-leader?" Robin asked with a sly grin.

I rolled my eyes. "You're all ridiculous. I couldn't lead the team out of a paper bag."

"You're not giving yourself enough credit." Wally clambered into the back, trying not to sit on Kal and slammed the door. "Good to go Captain."

I floored the gas and the tires spun, searching for purchase in the loose sand. We shot off as soon as they did, bouncing along as we attempted to outrun the two patrols.

"We made it!" Wally crowed. "Good driving Captain Cay!"

I sighed in relief and sagged back into the seat. We had barely avoided Tess's patrols. But we had done it and the bioship was in front of us. Kal looked terrible but as Robin, Wally and I heaved him out of the backseat Artemis assured me he'd be fine.

"He's still breathing," she observed. "That's a plus."

"We'll need to get him on an IV drip," Robin instructed.

"Where are the IV bags?" I asked.

"Uh…"

"Perfect," I growled, "let's play hide and seek with the IV bag while Kaldur slowly dies in front of us."

"Okay, now that's a little fatalistic," Wally grunted. "Look on the bright side!"

"And that would be?"

"We're together," he said in a low voice.

Artemis uttered a disgusted snort as I rolled my eyes.

"If I wasn't holding Kal right now I'd hit you," I informed him. "Not the time Wally."

"Well… when is the time?"

"Are we sure Megan restored all Wally's memories?" I asked as Artemis remerged from the bioship holding a clear IV bag in hand.

"Yeah, but I think she missed a few of yours," she replied. "You know, the ones that detail how unbearably annoying he is."

"You're one to talk," Wally snapped.

"Okay guys," Robin said. "That's enough."

We mounted the ramp of the bioship as Artemis hung the IV bag from a metal stand beside a reclined chair. Depositing Kal onto it Robin hooked up his IV. I looked away. Blood really grossed me out.

"It'll take awhile but he should come back around in the next hour," Robin said stepping back as the IV began to drip.

"So… is Batman a master surgeon as well as a crime fighter?" I laughed weakly.

"Pretty much. He's taught me everything."

I dropped into a chair near Kaldur and finally let myself relax. I was covered in dirt, I was sweaty and all I wanted was a slice of triple cheese pizza. My eyes began to droop. Kaldur was safe. Megan would return with Supey and we could go home. I don't know how much time passed. But I'm fairly sure I dozed off.

* * *

I awoke to the sound of Megan's voice. _Hey everyone! I've got Superboy and he's back to normal!_ _We're on our way._

"Who are you?" Kaldur cried sitting straight up in his chair. "How did you get inside my head?"

"Don't worry Kal," I said through a yawn. "She's a friend."

He turned his gaze to me. "You… you're the girl from the desert! Where am I! How do you know my name?"

I stared at him for a moment. His eyes were searching my face. He truly didn't remember me.

_Megan… isn't there something you'd maybe—_

_Hello Megan! Aqualad's memories_, she interrupted, _I knew I'd forgotten something!_

"What is the voice talking about?' Kaldur asked, clearly bewildered.

"It's really too much work to explain it all to you Kal," I replied. "When Megan gets back I promise everything will be a whole lot clearer."

He nodded but seemed unconvinced. "Alright."

Then I heard the roar of engines. Robin jumped out of his chair and sprinted down the ramp, Wally and Artemis in hot pursuit. I jumped up from my chair and followed, close on their heels. I stole a look back at Kaldur. He was watching us in open confusion.

"Stay in the ship," I instructed. "It's just more army goons. We'll take care of them."

"But… you—"

I shook my head. "I kind of forgot that I have powers," I said with some embarrassment.

The gel began to form on my hands as I struck my two rings together. I was glad they were so difficult to take off. I had been forced to leave them on despite my temporary fit of insanity when I decided to quit the team. The spark caught and the flames rushed up my arms, greedily consuming the thick gel.

"You're on fire!" Kaldur yelped.

"Stay on the ship!"

I turned my back to him and tore off down the ramp.

_Megan! _I broadcast the thought as loud as I possibly could. _We've got trouble back at the bioship._

_We see you! _she replied. _Landing soon!_

The ship was boxed in by four Jeeps, similar to the one I had taken. My stomach dropped as my gaze rested on Tess. She was sitting in the passenger seat and the corners of her mouth drew up in a cruel smile as she saw me.

"Well, look at that," she cooed. "Seems like Cay and the sidekicks have regained their memories. But wait… I remember there being more…"

"Why are you here," I hissed the flames on my arms crackling higher as I increased the gel production.

"Why am I ever anywhere you are," she said simply. "To kill you."

Turning to the Bialyan at her side she muttered something in their language.

The soldiers raised their guns.

"Guys, get back on the ship."

Artemis and Wally rounded on me at the same time.

"No way."

"You're out of your mind."

"She could care less about you," I reasoned. "Get back on the ship. Megan and Superboy will be here soon. Then you guys can get out of here."

"No," Robin said fiercely. "No one is getting left behind."

At that moment Superboy landed on the hood of one of the Jeeps. Tess yelped as the soldiers within it tumbled out onto the sand. He grinned slightly and hopped down. The soldiers all moved to turn their guns to him however they flew from their grasp and up into the air where Megan was hovering.

Tess had regained her composure and stepped out of the Jeep.

"Cay's right you know," she said airily. "All of you can just go. You're not really my problem right now."

"And Cay is?" Megan cried as she banished the guns to the sand dunes far beyond us. The soldiers watched in dismay, knowing they had been beaten.

"Yeah, what makes Cay so special?" Wally complained.

Tess shot him a withering glare and removed a small grey box from the seat of the Jeep. She had taken a few steps towards us when a large metal sphere smashed into the vehicle completely trashing its front end. The sphere rolled slowly past Tess who watched it go, shock evident on her face, and came to a stop next to Superboy. It beeped, a small light on a piece of circuitry lighting up.

"Good job," Superboy said uncertainly.

The sphere beeped again.

"That incompetent fool!" Tess spat, glaring at the sphere. "How could he, ugh, nevermind." She raised the box up before her. "I'll deal with it later."

Megan floated down and landed lightly next to me. "What is she doing?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. But I want everyone inside the ship. Now!"

Everyone hesitated. The box in Tess's hand had grown and she was typing away on some sort of keyboard. Whatever it was it couldn't be good. Robin glanced down at his wrist. The screen of his device was flashing.

"That box is emitting the same sort of energy the League detected!" he cried in surprise.

"Go!" I barked.

They obeyed this time. Robin, Wally and Artemis all dashed up the ramp. Superboy moved to follow them as did his newfound friend the sphere. Megan remained stubbornly by my side.

"Megan," I hissed, "you need to restore Kal's memories. I'll deal with Tess."

"We're all going back together!" she cried stubbornly.

"We are," I replied. "But I need the bioship ready to go. I'll distract Tess while you ready everything. I promise I will be on the ship when it leaves."

She paused before finally nodding. Superboy grabbed her hand and towed her up the ramp. The sphere rolled up behind them.

I turned my attention to Tess. She was smiling.

"You know Cay, when Lexcorp first approached us to create an Elemental I was skeptical that it would have any practical applications," she drawled, still tapping away at the box. "A weaponized human being is hardly practical. But I agreed nonetheless."

"Lexcorp? What are you—"

"Quiet," she hissed. "Mommy's talking."

"Your father and I were expecting our first child," she continued. "I was working on the very gel that fuels the flames you wield when a side reaction I hadn't anticipated killed my unborn baby.

"You killed my child. And then your father had the gall to try and recreate it. Luthor abandoned the Elemental project because it was a catastrophic failure. And then… you were created. In the hospital he brought you to meet me. The same eyes and hair I had always dreamed my baby would have.

"You are nothing but a bastardized version of the only thing I ever valued!" She paused as she ceased typing on the box. "Then I realized you deserved to die. You, unlike your father, held no value to the Light. Your death would destroy him and avenge the child you took. But then he had to go and die and now I only have the satisfaction of revenge."

I glared at her. "You're insane."

She laughed. "Insanity should not be confused with brilliance child. Say goodbye now."

"I'd like to see you try and do anything to me," I hissed. "You're outnumbered."

"Maybe," she replied slowly. "But strength of number counts for little where you're going in 10. 9. 8—"

"What are you—"

"7. 6. 5. 4—"

I took a menacing step towards her. The air had grown very still. Heavy almost. "Stop it Tess."

"3. 2—"

"Cay!" Robin's frantic shout reached my ears too late. "Run!"

Tess grinned. "1. Blast off."

Above me a blinding white portal appeared out of thin air.

"Enjoy space. I've heard it's chilly this season, better bundle up." She must have said more because her lips still moved but I couldn't hear over the roar of the tunnel above me. The look in her eyes scared me more than the vortex above me.

I tried to roll away from it but the pull from its vortex was too strong. I was plucked from the sand and disappeared into the disorienting white space.

The last thing I saw was Tess grinning gleefully. I fell head over heels through the white portal. With a dull thud I hit a hard, almost concrete surface. I passed out cold.


	9. Arrival

I woke up lying in a stinking pool of stagnant water. I was soaked to the bone and my suit was torn beyond repair. The filth around me made me gag and what little was in my stomach ended up in the water beside me. I clambered to my feet and took in my surroundings.

The sky was eerily red. It cast a glow that made everything around me look terrifyingly foreign. I felt my stomach churn. This wasn't Earth.

But I couldn't dwell on that. Earth or not I had to get somewhere where I could see the world I was in. I was in the narrow bottom of what looked like a concrete drainage ditch. Tess had… what _had_ she done?

I closed my eyes and tried to remember what had happened. The team and I were in the desert. Kaldur was out of commission. Megan and Supey were on their way back to join up with the rest of us. The bioship was surrounded by Tess and her goons. We had them beat but… I shook my head. Everything that came after was fuzzy and indistinct. There had been a bright light but that was it. I couldn't remember.

"As if I needed to endure any more memory loss today," I huffed as I began to climb the steep concrete wall to my right.

The incline was brutal on my already battered body but I hoped that if I was able to get to some high ground I would be able to figure out where I was.

Tess must have sent me somewhere, I decided, but as I crested the side of the stinking drainage canal my breath caught in my throat. Where ever I was something terrible had happened.

It looked like there had once been a city. The ruined shells of half-crumbling buildings were silhouetted against the eerie red sky. The rest of the city lay in ruins. Rubble and twisted metal stretched as far as I could see. What had done this? Was I still on Earth? An image passed in front of my mind's eye.

_I've heard it's chilly this season. _Tess, standing in the desert holding a small grey box.

Where had that memory come from? The box had been what sent me to this world. I knew it.

"Where am I?" I hissed under my breath. I was getting scared. Dread was curling in my stomach. Something told me I didn't belong.

I was brought back to the world in front of me by a strange noise. After a moment I pinpointed where it had come from: behind me. I spun on my heel. On the opposite side of the drainage system was a squad of about ten green and yellow clad... things. They were squat, barrel-chested and looked almost human, save for their bug-like eyes. The one directly across from me opened his mouth, wheezing, revealing his pointed teeth.

I paled. I had nothing to defend myself.

All of them were armed with shields and staffs. I was sopping wet. I couldn't use my powers. I was going to get killed. My opponents were all grinning as they brandished their weapons.

I turned back to the ruined city and took off as fast as my legs could take me. What else was I supposed to do? I didn't have to look back to know they were pursuing me. I could hear their excited whooping and the crunch of rubble under their feet. The terrain was slowing them down, which was good, but it was also slowing me down. I was so tired. My whole body was undermining my efforts to escape. I wouldn't be able to keep up the relentless pace. They would catch me in a few minutes and then… I preferred not to think about what would happen.

As I ran a large bronze globe drew my gaze. I pounded past it; the green and yellow bug-men were getting closer. A chill ran down my spine. I knew the globe. It was from atop the Daily Planet headquarters. And that meant… I was running through what used to be downtown Metropolis.

I let myself get distracted. A mistake I shouldn't have made. A staff of one of the bug-men caught my foot and sent me flying. I rolled over a pile of concrete and slammed into a large metal support beam that was lodged in the rubble.

Gasping for air I tried to drag myself away before they surrounded me. The bug-men were fast though; they had me encircled in a split second. I drew back up against the metal beam and stared defiantly at what was most likely their leader. One of the others made to grab my arm, leering at me, his bug eyes shining. The leader slammed his staff down and the other fell back amongst his comrades looking disappointed.

Why hadn't they killed me yet? I wondered. The leader was still looking at me. My back was screaming in pain.

Then the ground shifted. The bug-men jumped back, chattering worriedly. The ground moved again. The leader lunged towards me, his staff aimed at my head. I made no move to dodge. I wasn't fast enough even at the best of times. Luckily the ground beneath me gave way and I was plummeting to my death. What an improvement, right?

My fall was far shorter than I thought it would be and surprisingly I didn't die on impact. I landed on my side, my arm painfully pinned beneath me. From above I could hear the bug-men shrieking and the sound of metal clashing on metal.

Were they fighting each other? I wondered blearily. If so, why?

After a time the sounds from above me ceased. The bug-men had either given up or killed each other, all that mattered was they were gone. I closed my eyes and levered my arm out from under me. It was painful, but I had to get out of… wherever I was. I pulled myself to my feet and stumbled forward into a tunnel of some kind. Since when did Metropolis have tunnels? The subway maybe?

Someone dropped down the opening I had come through. I whipped around. In the black, silhouetted by the light coming through the hole was a dark outline of a person. Was it a bug-man?

My foot caught on something and I tumbled backwards, my head connecting painfully with one of the concrete chunks that carpeted the ground. My vision dimmed and I felt myself losing my grip on reality. I had passed out enough since joining the team that I knew when it was going to happen. And now the bug-man was going to kill me. A sob caught in my throat. I didn't want to die.

"Cay."

I squinted up, trying to make the figure in the dark come into focus. His voice. I knew it. So, he wasn't a bug-man after all. From what I had seen they weren't capable of speech. A hand slipped beneath my head. Another beneath my knees. I felt myself lifted from the ground. Then my vision blurred and I dropped off into the darkness.

* * *

"You shouldn't have brought her here!"

A familiar voice. It shocked me awake. Not the same as the one from the tunnel but I knew it.

"What other course of action could I have taken?" The voice from the tunnel was angry. "You told me she was dead!"

"She was dead!" a female voice retorted. "This _thing_ is not Ignis. You know what the Apokoliptians are capable of!"

My savior from the tunnel exhaled, his breath rushing out in an angry hiss. "She was pursued by the parademons. They do not pursue their allies with such intent. They would have killed her had she not fallen into the tunnel system."

I kept my eyes closed. I was lying on a cool, smooth metal surface. My hands were bound. The people around me didn't sound friendly. Best to let them think I was still unconscious.

"A trap, obviously," a male voice hissed, "and they sucked you right in."

"I was not, as you say 'sucked in' by anything. This is Caelyn whether you choose to believe it or not. When she awakens—"

"It's not Cay!" the female voice shouted. "Get it through your thick skull!"

"If it is not Cay then who is this girl?"

"A clone," she muttered. "Apokoliptian scum created to reveal where what remains of us hide."

"This is no clone."

"Kaldur you can't tell that," the voice that woke me up sighed.

My eyes snapped open. "Kal!"

The room was brightly lit. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the sudden light. As the faces of those around me came into focus my hearts soared. My team! Well, almost. Robin, Wally, Artemis and Kaldur stared down at me in shock.

Instead of my friends though, I saw strangers; older, hardened versions of my teammates. And none of them were wearing masks or suits. The confusion on my face made Artemis laugh.

"How could you even think this is Cay? She's a cowering girl!"

"Hey!" I protested, struggling against the bonds that secured my hands behind my back.

She glared at me. "Can we get rid of it now?"

"I'm no it!" I hissed.

She reached behind her and pulled out a wicked looking black bow. She knocked a barbed arrow and aimed it at my chest. "Just say the word Dick."

I glared up at her trying to seem defiant despite the fear that made me want to curl up and cry. They were my friends they wouldn't kill me. Right?

Kaldur drew his waterbearers, his lips drawing back in a snarl. "Try and you will not live to draw that bow again."

"Stop!" I yelped. They looked down at me. "Please, I—"

Artemis ignored me and turned back to Robin. "This is ridiculous."

"Well, if she is an Apokoliptian clone she's a pretty terrible one," Wally said, crossing his arms and looking me over with a critical eye. "She's not acting at all like Cay."

"I'm not a clone."

"Exactly what a clone would say," Artemis reasoned, aiming another arrow at my chest again.

I really wished she would stop doing that.

"I have a way to test this," Robin said quietly. "Once we know." He fixed Kaldur with a cold gaze. "You leave. No. Matter. What."

"And what of her," he growled, sheathing his waterbearers begrudgingly.

"If she is Cay, and that's a big if, she will stay with _us_. If not…"

I didn't like where this was going. I wiggled my hands. They were firmly tied behind my back. I suppressed a grin. They had tied me with rope. I moved my hands so that my rings were touching. The gel coated my hands and I was able to drag them across one another enough to create a spark. Fire engulfed my hands and the rope singed and snapped.

Artemis was on me in a split-second. I pushed myself off the ground and rolled sideways, her arrow embedding itself where I had been laying. Kaldur drew his waterbearers and shot her back into the wall with a jet of water. She hit with a dull thud and fell to the ground, winded.

"Enough!" Robin cried, stepping in front of her as Kaldur took a menacing step forward, his water forming a mace.

Wally appeared in front of Kaldur, knocking both of his waterbearers away, and grabbed him by the front of his black body armor.

"That's enough Kaldur'ahm."

I struggled to my feet and let the flames on my arms burn themselves out. If the rest of the team was as hell bent on killing me as Artemis, appearing as a threat was a really bad idea.

"You," Robin said, walking up to me. "Follow me."

I ground my teeth but obeyed and trailed a few steps behind him down a long narrow corridor. There was no point in being difficult. There were three of them and one of me. I glanced at Kaldur, he seemed to be on my side. He shook off Wally's hands on his shoulders and fell into step beside me.

Despite the aching in my shoulders and the pounding in my temples I couldn't help but stare sidelong at Kaldur. Miss Spruce always said cheese gets better with age. Apparently that was true for Atlantean's as well. He noticed my gaze and moved closer to me, his shoulder brushing mine.

I dropped my gaze but I felt his eyes on me for the rest of our march down the hallway. Robin stopped as we approached a large doorway that led into a cavernous room. He turned and his cold stare rested on me.

"Walk into the training area."

I raised an eyebrow but took a tentative step forward. A blue light burst from the walls. I jumped as a metallic voice rang out, echoing off the walls of the training room.

"Ignis, B07," it intoned.

Artemis crossed her arms as I turned around to face them. "That doesn't prove anything."

"The last clone wasn't recognized by the scanner," Wally reminded her. "The genetics can't be exactly duplicated they don't have a complete sample. She's not a clone."

"As I thought," Kaldur said, shooting a meaningful glance at Artemis.

"Well then where did you come from?" she hissed.

"I think… here," I said slowly. "But not now."

Wally looked at me skeptically. "Are you saying you're from the past?"

"The last time I saw all of you, you, Wally, were fifteen. Robin, you were thirteen and Kal… you were my age," I replied. "Sorry Artemis I—"

"It's Tigress to you," she hissed.

"Um… right. Well, we were in Bialya and the bioship was surrounded by… Tess." I noticed their confused expressions and decided to elaborate. "My mother. She had a box and then there was a bright light. A tunnel!" The memories came flooding back. Tess had been trying to kill me. I sent the rest of the team onto the ship. I fell into the white tunnel. "Tess said she was sending me into space somewhere, but I fell through the white vortex and woke up in a slime river in a ruined Metropolis. Where, no, better question; _when_ am I!" I demanded.

Robin regarded me coolly. "Cay, do you really not know what's happened here?"

"All I know is I woke up in a river of gunk and then a group of bug-men chased me into the ruined city and I fell into a hole."

"Bug-men?" Wally chuckled. "You mean the parademons?"

"Parademons?" I asked. "Is that what they're called?"

"Later Cay," Robin interrupted. He turned to Kaldur. "Out."

The two stared at one another. Kaldur looked ready to throttle Robin. What could have done this to the team? After a moment Kaldur turned on his heel and walked down the hall. I desperately wanted to follow him. I didn't think it was possible but he was… I couldn't quite pinpoint it but there was something different about him.

"Wait," I snapped, rounding on Robin. "What are you doing?"

"He's leaving," Artemis supplied, "as he should have done earlier."

Kal disappeared and I turned angrily in the rest of the team. "What is going on?"

"There are a few things you should know about what's happened, Cay," Wally said. "And there are a few things we'd like to know about you."

* * *

Robin led me to a sparsely outfitted room and sat me down on a couch.

"You comfortable?"

I nodded as Wally lowered himself down next to me. Artemis leaned up against the wall and Robin began to talk.

"Six months after the mission you mentioned in Bialya Cadmus was successful in transporting life through the wormholes they modeled after the Boom Tubes used by those of Apokolips and New Genesis. The League was unprepared for their rapid transport of troops and technology from the planet of Apokolips. Their first wave overwhelmed the military forces assembled by the government and destroyed most major cities. The second wave eliminated all but the founding members of the League and us." He paused as I tried to sort everything out. What he was saying made no sense. Apokolips? Boom Tubes? Was that what Tess had used to send me into this future? What exactly were they?

"After the parademons wiped out most of us Darkseid sent his people in to mine the core—"

"The core?" I asked.

"Earth's core," Wally supplied.

"Materials in our core were – are - used to power some of Darkseid's newest weapons. Based on the last contact we had with New Genesis, he was planning on using them in his battle to finally conquer their world. We lost communication with them almost half a year ago. The mining hasn't stopped though so we can only assume that Darkseid has been unsuccessful in his efforts to destroy their planet. And that they are too busy to concern themselves with us because of what is being done to their world.

"As of right now. We are all that's left. The last member of the League, the last real hero, Superman, was killed three months ago. Those of us left are hunted down and exterminated by Darkseid's dogs, the parademons."

"Just… you guys?" I asked, shocked. "What about Megan, Supey—"

Robin dropped his gaze. "After what you did for us we did all we could to keep the parademons out of the major cities, establish safe zones for civilians. That was what yours and Kaldur's," he spat the name with disdain, "plan had been. We wanted to honor it. Megan was in charge of Star City, along with Roy, Red Arrow."

I nodded and he continued. Even if I had wanted to say something the words wouldn't come. My throat was tight. Megan and Supey… they couldn't be.

"We lost contact with them about a year after we lost you. Star City was over run. There was no way they could have survived. And they didn't. We fought our way through and into the stronghold she and Roy had established. There was nothing left. Only a few recordings on a portable drive. One was a message to Superboy from Megan, another to the rest of the team, again from Megan. Then, your last message—"

"I left a message?" I asked sharply. "About what?"

"I'll get to that later," he replied shortly. "After we realized Megan was gone Superboy lost it. He took off, left us in the middle of Apokoliptian territory and flew straight for their stronghold in D.C. We caught up in time to see him fall. Apparently Darkseid stumbled across the Kryptonite gun when he and his generals ransacked the Fortress in the North."

Superboy could fly? There was a Fortress in the North? What was Dick talking about? I was completely lost. Again.

"And then?" I had to know all I could, I decided. Tess hadn't meant to send me here. But she had. And it was worse than any pain she could possibly inflict. The team was torn apart and the me of this reality was dead. Was this my future? It was too terrible a thought to entertain. I banished it to the back of my mind. But there it would not stay.

"Darkseid made quick work of the heroes in Europe and by the time he returned to Apokolips, there was hardly anything left for us to save," he fixed me with a his bright blue eyes. "We tried though. Everyone – those who survived anyway – lives below ground now. Away from those that roam the surface. We scavenge everything we need, but lately…" His expression darkened. "The food is running low. All our water sources are gone or polluted beyond saving. There is nothing to hunt. We're close to breaking. You've arrived at a very, very bad time."

"Which begs the question, how did you get here?" Artemis asked, her face a blank mask. "Give us the details."

I scanned the faces of my friends. With a sigh I began to recount my last day on Earth.

* * *

"So, you were sent through one of the Boom Tubes, supposedly into the vacuum of space but ended up here?" Wally asked after I had finished recounting what had happened in the desert. I nodded.

Artemis watched me quietly. She seemed to believe me now. I really hoped to she did. I didn't want another arrow pointed at my chest.

"This is bad," Robin muttered. "If Tess was able to send you here using the device they've designed that means they're ahead of the timeline of this reality."

"You guys are pretty accepting of this," Artemis said quietly. "How do we know this isn't some sort of Apokoliptian trickery?"

"Uncle Barry talked about the possibility of alternate realities a lot," Wally informed her rolling his eyes. "I know some members of the League have had experiences with them. The fact that Cay is here..." He left the rest unsaid. My presence was proof enough.

"Robin what do you mean 'ahead of this timeline'?" I asked.

He smiled slightly. "Call me Dick. And I mean that the Cadmus of your world is farther along in transporting life through their wormholes than ours was at the same date. They obviously haven't got the accuracy a true Boom Tube has but that's trivial compared to the transmission of a complex organism from one universe to another. Your world is on the fast track to our situation."

I wouldn't let that happen. "Is there any way to stop it?"

"If we could send you back, maybe. There's no way to know for sure that your world will follow our course of events exactly." He looked me dead in the eye. "Unfortunately, I doubt we can send you back."

I think he thought my reaction would be more dramatic. Wally and Artemis exchanged worried glances as I stared blankly past Dick's head and at the wall behind him.

"You can't?" My voice sounded hollow.

"I picked up the energy reading of you coming in," he said slowly. "But we don't have the power to duplicate it. And to open a Boom Tube you need the tech. I don't have that either."

"And you don't know where to find either, do you?"

He didn't respond.

I sighed. "Well, can you tell me what happened to me?"

Dick looked to Wally. "I think it would be easier to show you."

"Remember how Megan had recorded messages before Star City was overrun?" Wally said, punching a code into the keypad of a large metal door. I nodded. "Well, on the portable drive was also something you, er, you from this reality, had entrusted her with."

"What was it?"I prodded.

The door slid open revealing a large empty room. A metal column stood in the middle of it. "It's hard to explain."

"Excuse me?" I was looking at the walls, they were oddly reflective. Catching the light and throwing it back in my eyes. I turned back when I heard footsteps.

Artemis appeared behind Wally, her expression grim. "Megan had the ability to take and store memories of people other than herself within her mind. Some Martian trick. She and her Uncle had been fooling around with Wayne Enterprises trying to create tech that would project the memories as life-like holograms. Before the world went straight to hell they were able to produce this prototype."

"So…" I was still confused. What were they trying to say?

"You want to know what happened to you?" Robin—no, Dick, asked walking into the room, pushing past me, and approaching the metal podium that stood at its center. "The message you left with Megan was for Kaldur." Again he spat his name. "But it wasn't just a message. It was your final stand."

I was silent. They wanted me to watch myself die.

The panels on the wall began to light up as Robin stood before the podium. "You want this or not?"

It was morbid, it was disgusting… but I wanted to know. This was the only way. I nodded.

"Stand here," he said, stepping aside. "The machine will begin its projection in sixty seconds."

I cleared my throat as I stood next to him. "What do I do?"

"Don't move," he instructed. "There will be dark spots where the memory has been compromised or you just didn't see anything, Remain facing straight ahead. Once it starts you have to let it run its course." He paused. "Don't move. The panels become fragile beyond belief when they begin transmitting. If you even bump one it will shatter. The memory could be destroyed. None of us want that."

He walked out of the room. "Stay calm Cay. It's just a memory." He smiled ruefully. "You'll be fine."

* * *

As soon as the memory started I felt like throwing up. The humming in the room was deafening and suddenly I was bombarded by the image of my team members. The Cave. The monstrous TV and the white couches. All of it, so familiar.

It was like I was really there. Living the memory. I was the other Cay. The Team and I were laughing. Someone's arm was around my neck, I couldn't tell who, I was looking at Robin. The space to my left and right were fuzzy and patched with black.

"Did you see the look on Freeze's face?" He was laughing. "Cay, you were awesome."

"Indeed."

I looked to my right. There was _still _only darkness and indistinct blurs. I willed the memory to identify the owner of the arm around my neck. Thankfully it did, though it took its time. Kaldur. He was smiling at me. I had a feeling I was smiling too. Everyone was happy.

"Ugh," Wally groaned theatrically. "You two."

Kal laughed. "Us two."

* * *

The memory faded. A new one took its place. There was no more laughing, There was no more Cave. The team, plus Artemis dressed in a strange black and orange outfit, were arguing. We were in a bleak grey room. Their voices blended together. I strained to separate them.

"We can't do it!" Artemis hissed angrily.

"The risk is just too great," Kaldur agreed, albeit begrudgingly.

Then I was speaking, It was strange to hear myself. I sounded so self-assured. I doubt I had actually felt that way and if I had, go me.

"It will work," I assured them, everyone fell silent. "We just need to lure them into the cave system. Superboy can get out before the charges detonate." He was standing across from me and nodded. Megan looked at him worriedly. "The same can be done, to an extent, across the country. We know where they're going to appear. We can stop them before they destroy us. Where the League failed we can succeed. We still have Superman, Wonder Woman and Hal. They're more than enough to make this work!"

"We can't possibly hope to cover all the landing points," Robin argued, his face grim. He wasn't wearing his mask. He never let the team see his face. I was rattled. Wasn't the team supposed to be covert?

"There are too many," he finished crossing his arms across his chest.

"Then we focus our efforts on those with the most potential for success." Kaldur sounded from my left. I couldn't see him but I knew he was there.

"I agree," I said. "We'll survive this. Megan, get in contact with the remaining Leaguers. We need to be ready by tomorrow night."

* * *

Again the memory faded and was replaced.

"Kaldur this is my decision."

I was angry. Kal was angry. He had me by the shoulders. His knuckles were white. My fists were clenched at my sides.

"You cannot expect me to allow you to do this on your own," he growled. "Take Superboy, or at the very least Tigress. You will need someone to watch your back."

I took a deep breath and unclenched my fists. He was worried. Staying mad at Kal was seemed to prove difficult for my alternate self as well.

I placed my hands on his arms. "I will be fine."

Again I sounded so self assured. He looked unsure, but his anger was dissipating. I could see it in his face. Worry, doubt, sadness, all the emotions that ran across his features were almost worse than his anger. They scared me.

"Cay, please, don't—"

"All I need is for you to be outside. When the last has entered the cave system you seal the doors and contact me through the mental link. I'll get out and be by your side before the charges go off. There will always be risks Kal. There have been since the League created this team. I accept them."

He still looked unconvinced. The me of this reality had a remedy for that. I leaned forward and kissed him.

* * *

Much to my dismay the memory faded.

I was alone. I was standing in an empty stone cavern. Behind me was a metal door.

_Kaldur, I have never, and will never regret this decision. _My voice sounded through the room. Was this what Robin had meant by my message to Kal? Had I left my memories with Megan to give to him? Had I left a message within them?

I felt a chill run up my spine. I had known Kaldur would blame himself for my death. The team was hiding something. They knew why.

_Cay! Cay! Answer me!_ Megan's voice savagely ripped through the room. She was using more force than I had ever heard through the mental link.

The me from the memory ignored her. I stood my ground and stared down the dark tunnel beyond me. I recognized the sounds coming from it as those the parademons made. I gripped the metal podium in front of me. Bile was rising in the back of my throat. I was going to die.

_CAY! Kaldur's gone, get out now! You have thirty seconds—_

_The charges are compromised,_ I hissed, cutting off Megan's attempts to get me to leave the cavern. _Besides, if I leave we'll lose Metropolis. Kaldur will be back, he promised. When the entrance is sealed, then I'll leave._

_Cay… _There was raw pain in Megan's mental link. Tears pricked at my eyes. She was in my head. The mental images she was transmitting were of my friends. Days at the beach, missions we had gone on, days at school. _He's not coming back. He abandoned you._

_No, Megan_, I replied. _He wouldn't. He hasn't. I have to go now. I'll see you soon. _

_NO—_

Somehow I had closed off her mind and Megan's voice was gone. For how long I didn't know.

The sounds of the parademons were getting louder. My arms lit up as I waited calmly for them to come. Flames spread up my neck and licked at my chin. Then the parademons came through the door. The fight began.

Standing stock still while watching the fight was unnerving. My vision was blurred as I took out parademons left, right and center. I had my baton, but its edges were serrated. I carved through parademon after parademon. Those that I didn't kill quickly were engulfed into the flames I was creating.

I was extremely bad ass. But there were too many of them. I was being pushed back towards the door behind me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see a stack of metal barrels. The explosives.

With a mighty sweep of the baton I pushed the parademons back. I looked down as my hand closed on a small cylinder. The detonator. There was a blinding flash. Then the memory went dark.

* * *

It wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be. But as the room continued to whir I knew it wasn't over. There was more. Slowly, so slowly, the world came into focus.

I was lying on my back, staring up at the crimson sky. I couldn't feel anything, the machine obviously didn't transmit physical stimuli, but I knew I had been in a lot of pain. The bottom half of my body was buried under rubble. Something dark was trickling into my eyes. I knew after a moment that it was blood.

Every now and again a weak whimpering reached my ears. After I heard it for a third time, I knew it was me. I was making the sound.

_Cay! Cay!_ It was Megan.

Her face came into view after a moment.

"Hey Megan," I whispered. My voice was hoarse.

"Cay." She was crying. "Why did you—" her voice broke as a sob racked her frame. "I was so close."

"I know. But they were trying to retreat. They realized it was a trap. I got most of them."

She sniffed and smiled slightly. "You sure did."

"I didn't have enough time... to rig the rock slide." I paused. "I did my best."

Her sniffling stopped as she placed a hand on my shoulder. Anger blazed in her eyes. "You are _not_ to blame for this."

I didn't want to watch anymore. I squeezed my eyes shut but it did little to block out the terrible sounds I made.

I wheezed. "I should have predicted that Darkseid would target them. Their city was crippled. The people…" A rattling breath sounded. "Helpless."

"He should not have left!" She roared. I had never seen Megan like this. It was terrifying.

_He said he would protect you!_ Her mental connection continued. _You trusted him! WE TRUSTED HIM! _

I opened my eyes. Megan's face was oddly blurred. I hoped that was because the memory was almost finished.

"Not his fault." The memory was dimming. My voice was getting softer. I had to strain to hear. "I told him to go… I need you to give him something."

"Give it to him yourself," she hissed. "I will not speak to him after this. He left you to save a people who revile him as a monster. You will not die because of his negligence! You cannot die!"

"But I am, and I will," I replied. "Please Megan."

She looked down at me and placed both her hands on my forehead.

_Quickly,_ she instructed, _I will get you out of here and carry your stupid message._

Memory me laughed weakly. Megan's eyes glowed white as she gleaned the memory. The memory I was watching.

"I never wanted to die."

The holograms were dimming then. Megan's face was becoming increasingly blurry. Her eyes had stopped glowing. I must have finished giving her the message. The memories.

"Cay!" She shook me roughly by the shoulders. "Don't close your eyes!"

"It wasn't his fault."

"It was!" Megan shrieked, she was blurry now, an indistinct green shape. "He left! He abandoned you! He abandoned us! We needed him and he failed!"

"I love him." Her face was all I could see. She was so close.

"No you don't!"

Memory me sobbed as she grabbed my hand. "I do."

I, no, she… died.

* * *

The lights slowly came back on. I hadn't realized until then that I was crying. I hastily wiped away the tears as the door behind me slid open.

I didn't have to turn around to know that Wally, Dick and Artemis were standing there. I didn't want to turn around. Standing there, watching myself die was by far the worst thing I had ever experienced. And that was saying something.

"Now you know," Artemis said darkly.

I didn't respond but turned to face them.

"He left us Cay," Dick continued, he was watching me carefully. "If he had been where he was supposed to be you wouldn't have died."

"I didn't blame him," I said quietly. "I was in incredible pain, dying, and I still didn't blame him."

I wouldn't accept that Kal was the reason I died.

"You may not have," he hissed in response, "but the rest of us did."

"Megan would have killed him," Wally said tonelessly. "The only reason she left him alive was because living with what he had done was crueler than any death we could have dealt."

"He was your friend!" I accused. "How could you—?"

"Cay, you were dead!" Dick shouted. "He was gone for three days before he showed back up in Metropolis! He hadn't even bothered to find out if you were dead or alive."

"The world was falling apart. You can't tell me you thought there wouldn't be casualties!" I was shouting by the end of it. How could they all be like this? I was angry. My cheeks were wet again. I wiped the tears away furiously.

"We did not think they would include you."

Dick, Wally and Artemis turned to look down the hallway. I knew by their expressions who had spoken. Heck, I didn't even need to see the anger in their faces to know who had spoken. I knew Kaldur's voice.

I strode towards them and pushed past them out into the hall. Kal was standing partially in the shadows cast by the flickering light bulbs strung across the ceiling. He stared at me. I stared right back.

Then Artemis was next to me, followed quickly by Wally.

"Get out of here," she hissed.

"Don't make us ask twice," Wally said quietly.

I couldn't stand watching them like this. "Stop!"

I felt the tears hot in my eyes. If I started crying I'd look like an idiot but I didn't care. I stepped away from Artemis and Wally.

Kaldur's gaze didn't waver. "I am here to help."

"You're about three years too late Kaldur," Dick replied.

"Is that so? Well, I have deterred the parademons who breached your defenses above ground. I sealed the door behind me." He paused and looked over my shoulder at Dick. "All I ask is a moment—"

"No," Dick said abruptly. "Forget it."

"Kaldur have you ever seen the message I left with Megan?"

Wally grabbed my forearm and squeezed. "Cay!"

"You haven't let him see it, have you!" I cried, wrenching my arm from his grasp. "What's happened to you? All of you?"

None of them looked away. They were staring at me like I had was spouting nonsense. What had happened to my friends?

"We're at war, Cay," Dick hissed. "Kaldur proved to us where his loyalties lay and it wasn't with us."

"He made a mistake," I said stubbornly. "And I thought the war you were waging was against the Apokoliptians, or did I get that wrong?"

"Cay, the other you died!" he cried.

"Yeah I know." I paused. "You all lost a friend. But that wasn't his fault. There are always risks. She knew that. I know that. What would your Cay say if she could see you right now?" They remained silent and I ploughed on. "I'll tell you because I'm pretty sure I know; stop fighting amongst yourselves like complete idiots and get Darkseid off this planet. Move. On. You have bigger problems than your personal grudge against Kaldur."

Dick laughed humorlessly. "And they are?"

"The parademons at your front door, for one," I snapped.

"You know something Cay," he snorted, "you're impossible."

"Logical and impossible," I informed him coolly. "Not the same thing."

Wally shook his head, the corners of his mouth turning up. "Dick, man, you aren't going to win this."

"I know," Dick sighed. "Okay. First we deal with the parademons." He shot Kal a look. "Then we deal with you."

"It is very nice to see you have your priorities in the proper order, for once," Kal said icily.

I wanted to punch him. "Not helping your cause much Kal."

He regarded me silently for a moment then shrugged. "There is not much cause to help."

"C'mon," Artemis grumbled stalking past me. "Let's get you outfitted."

"Excuse me?"

She grinned. "Look around Cay. No one runs around in stretchy super-suits anymore. You need something a little more protective when dealing with the parademons." She knocked the breastplate she had strapped across her chest. It was a solid black material. "Plus… you kind of smell."

I scowled. "I didn't roll in the slime river off my own accord. But a change of clothes would be nice, thanks."

"Oh, it'll be more than that."

* * *

By the time Artemis was done with me I looked like I belonged in some futuristic war movie. I had black, lightweight shin and arm guards and a matching breastplate. The material of the black suit underneath was completely fire resistant, she assured me. I wouldn't burn my clothes off if I used my powers. Besides the armor I also had a serrated baton like the one I had watched myself use when I fought off the parademons in the memory Megan had left.

I caught a glimpse of myself in a small mirror hanging on the wall above a rusty sink as we left the sparsely outfitted armory. I stopped and stared. My hair was pulled back in a messy bun at the base of my neck, and though I had washed most of the grime off my face I still looked disgustingly dirty. Maybe it was the armor and the baton but my reflection scared me. This was not what I wanted to become. Give me a lycra super-suit any day.

"You coming?" Artemis asked impatiently.

I tore my gaze away from the mirror and nodded. "Yeah."

* * *

She led me into a small command center. There was a giant computer, much like the one the team had back in the Cave, with three large screens mounted on the wall behind it. Dick and Wally were occupying the two chairs in front of it while Kaldur leaned up against the wall across from them. They glared daggers at one another.

As I walked in Kal turned his gaze towards me. I ignored Artemis' less than subtle attempts to guide me to their side of the room and strode up next to Kaldur. Leaning against the wall next to him he turned smugly back to Wally and Dick.

I really didn't think he was in any position to egg them on. He needed their help as much as they did his. And I needed all of their help. For one, to fix their world. For another, to get me home. The reflection in the mirror. I didn't want to become that.

"What's the plan?" I asked.

Dick turned to the computer and pulled up a video of the ruined Metropolan skyline. "The parademons have left. We don't have to worry about them."

"Oh well that's good."

He shook his head. "No, it's not. They've left the entire city. Not a single one in sight. They're planning something."

"You mean, Darkseid's planning something," Kal corrected. "The parademons are not capable of rational thought. They are merely soldiers. Cannon fodder for Darkseid's generals to use as they wish."

Dick ignored him and looked to me. "Look, I have an idea. A sort of… agreement. For you."

"What kind of agreement?" I asked cautiously.

Under normal circumstances I would trust Robin. Circumstances were way beyond normal. And this was Robin.

"We want the Cave back. With the Watchtower gone it's the only place with the tech that can send a distress signal to New Genesis. When the war first started Batman and Superman locked it down. If you can help us push the parademons out of what used to be Happy Harbor and we get in successfully I can make an attempt to send you back to your world after the message is sent."

I stood stock still. Send me back? The hope that ballooned in my chest quickly deflated. "What's the catch?"

"I can't promise anything. The box may not even be there. However, if it is and I do manage to get it working there's still a chance I won't be able to recreate the same exact energy signature I picked up when you came in. I could end up sending you to some other world that doesn't have the tech to get you out. You would be permanently lost."

"How can you expect her to agree to such a deal?" Kaldur growled from beside me. I looked up at him. He was furious. Another thing that scared me about this world. Kaldur was angry. Kal never got angry. "You are asking her to risk everything on the slim chance that you might be able to send her back to her time, her world! Meanwhile you have everything to gain! You selfish—"

"I'll do it," I interrupted, Kaldur immediately silenced himself. "On one more condition."

Wally crossed his arms. "What's that?"

"Kaldur comes with us."

They all began speaking at once.

"No chance," Wally said shaking his head.

"Forget it," Artemis hissed.

"He isn't a part of the team," Dick snapped.

I glared at the three of them. "You don't have a team anymore guys. You want my help, Kal's coming too. End of story."

"We don't need him and neither do you," Wally protested. "How can you trust him Cay?"

"Because I would have done the same thing," I replied angrily. "We all would have done the same thing! If you could have saved your families wouldn't you have taken the chance?"

"But our families would have welcomed our assistance," Dick said curtly. "Why don't you inform Cay, Kaldur, what happened when you left her and went back to be the savior of Atlantis."

I looked to Kal. His face was unreadable, but the twitching muscle in his jaw betrayed how angry he still was.

"What happened?" I demanded.

He looked down at me.

"Atlantis was lost—"

"Liar!" Artemis howled savagely. "Atlantis was never a target of Darkseid's legions. The city survived longer than any did on the surface. Only when the water began to acidify did it fall to ruin. And when you did arrive, oh great savior, your King tried to kill you. Was he still a little sore about the fact you killed his wi—"

"Enough!" Kaldur roared. I had been so fixated on Artemis that I had failed to notice him next to me. "I never meant—"

"I didn't mean to, I never meant any harm," Wally mocked in a high falsetto voice. "Come off it Kaldur. You knew exactly what would happen. Just like you have every other time. In case you haven't notice your moral compass doesn't point exactly North, so stop trying to plead ignorance."

"And what gives you the right to criticize my moral standpoint? You were, how they say 'sleeping with the enemy'," Kaldur hissed, shooting Artemis a knowing look.

"I made a choice," she defended. "I chose a side and I stuck with them 'til the end."

"More than can be said for you," Dick finished darkly.

"I was trying to save my people!" Kaldur cried, outraged.

"You were trying to redeem yourself," Dick accused. "With Queen Mera and her son's death on your head though, how could you ever think that was possible? Then there was the whole tragic circumstances surrounding your parentage—"

Kal was on him faster than anyone in the room could process. He had Dick by the collar and was throwing him to the floor before Wally grabbed him from behind and towed him off. Turning around, his face set in a snarl; he punched Wally in the jaw. The speedster went flying back into the wall opposite me as I watched in open mouthed horror.

Dick was on his feet as Wally came crashing down, brandishing the chair he had been sitting on moments before. Kaldur took a menacing step towards him as Artemis raised her bow, an arrow strung.

"Enough!" I barked pushing myself shakily off the wall.

Kaldur hesitated, looking back at me, and Dick took the opportunity to hammer him in the gut with the piece of furniture in his hands. Kal fell back, but rolled seamlessly to his feet.

"That doesn't mean, 'Dick gets a free shot at Kaldur'!" I roared. "It means stop acting like idiots before I burn this entire place down and find my own way home while you roast alive!"

I didn't mean any of what I had said but Dick threw the chair down and stalked past Kaldur to help Wally to his feet. Artemis returned her arrow to her quiver looking somewhat put out. Kaldur was watching me again with his cold, clear gaze.

My shoulders sagged as I leaned back up against the wall. They were friends. How could they treat each other so terribly?

"We leave as soon as it gets dark," Dick said shortly, leading a limping Wally past us. "We'll come and get you then."

"So what, you're going to lock us in?" I asked scornfully.

"Someone has to guard him," he replied, jerking his head in Kaldur's direction, "and since you want him to come with us so badly you can do it. I don't feel like getting attacked again."

"Fine."

He, Wally and Artemis filed out of the door. It slammed shut behind them.

I looked at Kaldur. He looked at me. I scowled.

"You have a lot of talking to do, Kal."

He sighed. "So it would seem."

* * *

A few minutes later I was sitting against the wall as Kal paced in front of me. He was reluctant to answer my questions but I eventually got him talking.

"After our final attempt to stop the Apokoliptian hordes the team... They blamed me, rightfully, for your death. Miss Martian even went so far as tracking me down and forcing me to witness your final moments—"

"You saw the message then?" I interrupted.

He nodded. "Indeed, but it did little to put my mind at ease. She should have killed me... leaving me alive was the last thing she wanted to do but, she knew you wouldn't forgive her if she did end my life. And, as Dick helpfully reminded her, I didn't want to live." He sounded bitter. I tucked my knees up to my chest and leaned back into the wall behind me.

"Then, I was alone," he continued. "I did my best to destroy as many of Darkseid's minions as possible, but there were so many of them I hardly made a dent in their numbers. Then I turned my efforts to the team. I followed them, watched their backs every time they left the tunnels. I've managed to follow them unseen… for the most part. And I've managed to keep them alive."

It made no sense. The team hated Kaldur because he wasn't where he was supposed to be and I had died. Then, Megan and the rest had kicked him out but he still worked to keep them safe. "Why?"

"Because they will always be my friends," he replied. "No matter how much they despise me."

"And Atlantis?" Apparently it was the wrong thing to say. He looked away. "What happened?"

The silence between us was deafening. "Kaldur?"

He ceased his pacing and lowered himself down next to me.

"At the beginning of the war I was concerned for the well being of my friends and King in Atlantis," he began. "You urged me to return to them so I did. It was a time of chaos. Cadmus was at the height of its power. Their operatives Starro and Black Manta had breached the dome that shielded Atlantis from harm by the time I arrived through the transporter. Ocean Master was not far behind them.

"I was instructed by King Orin to keep watch over his son while he and the Queen dealt with Ocean Master. Despite the great power of my King, he did not survive the battle. The men Black Manta had brought with him had broken into the Inner Sanctum and I had to flee with the heir. We cleared the palace before it collapsed and he was unharmed, but Manta followed me."

He fell silent. I didn't press for more. The pain all over his face was enough. Atlantis was gone. He was alone. The last of his people.

I jumped at the sound of his voice.

"The two of us fought while the rest of the city crumbled. In the end, I proved victorious. I left him where he lay and returned to where the heir was hidden, but my efforts were in vain… Atlantis was without a prince to succeed King Orin and I was the one to blame."

He stared blankly at the slate tiles on the floor.

"But… that wasn't your fault," I said. "You did your best."

Kaldur laughed. It was a cold, humorless sound. A shiver ran down my spine. He looked up at me.

"It was hardly good enough."

"But you killed Manta! You avenged the King—"

He cut me off with a shake of his head. "I would have killed Manta even if the King had not died. In fact, I had been tracking him for quite some time."

I shot him a confused look. "You… why?"

"If you had such a father would you not want to see him dead?"

My breath caught in my throat. Kaldur looked savage. He wasn't the Kaldur I knew and it scared me. Dick, Wally and Artemis were different people too. This world was terrifying. There were so many things I didn't know. People who were my friends had become strangers. They expected me to behave like a person I had never met. A person I may never become. Now Kaldur was telling me he was a super villain's son?

"He was your father?"

He looked shocked.

"You did not know," he said slowly.

I shook my head. I didn't trust myself to speak.

"Perhaps things are different where you come from." He paused. "I truly hope they are."

We sat in silence for a long time. Were things really so different in my world? I realized how little I knew about my teammates. We were friends but we still had secrets. Was that what it was like being a superhero? Secrets. Robin wouldn't let the team see his real face, Artemis… everything was a mystery with her. We didn't really know each other.

Was that how it would always be? I sighed. I hoped the answer was no.

"Cay."

I looked to Kaldur. He was watching me closely. I flashed him a quick smile. He turned away.

"You look worried."

I nodded. "Do you think Dick will be able to send me back?"

His hand closed around mine but he said nothing. It was all the answer I needed and it filled me with dread. From the moment I had woken up in the drainage ditch I had known. I would never be able to go home.


	10. Furious

The sound of the door sliding open startled me awake. I had my head resting on Kal's shoulder. When I had fallen asleep or how we had gotten so close I couldn't remember. I pushed myself away as Dick, Wally and Artemis walked in.

They were outfitted in gear similar to mine. Wally wore less armor, I assumed because he could move quicker without it. Dick had his wrist device, though it looked different from the one I remembered Robin using.

"We're ready," Dick said. "The two of you look… well rested."

Kaldur glared at him and stood up. He offered me his hand but I was already pushing myself to my feet.

"Well, we could have helped you prepare," I snapped. "But you were the mature adult who left us in here."

Wally grinned. "That's Dick; the mature adult."

"Don't encourage her," Dick grumbled.

"Well we could have used their help to get stuff ready. I, personally, did not enjoy having to test that the motion activated gun turrets. We could have used Kaldur! But no-o you had to leave them—"

"Enough, Wally," Artemis snapped. "We have to leave _now _if we want to get to Happy Harbor under the cover of darkness."

"Do we still have the bioship?" I asked.

The team stared back at my bleakly. In the end it was Dick who spoke.

"With Megan gone the bioship had no one to care for it," he explained. "It's been unusable for a long time."

"It… died?" I wouldn't have thought I would be sad about the 'death' of the bioship. But I was. Just one more thing that the Apokoliptians had taken away.

"We're leaving," Wally said, glancing at Kaldur. "Come on."

* * *

"Where are we?"

I was sitting next to Kaldur in what had once been a city bus. Dick had said as we boarded that they had outfitted it to infiltrate areas plagued by Darkseid's minions and safely extract civilians.

"Halfway to Happy Harbor," Wally responded from his position behind the wheel. He flashed me a quick smile. "Don't worry Cay; I know exactly where I'm going."

I nodded and looked out the window. The landscape hadn't changed since we left Metropolis; it was as barren and dead as ever. Kaldur shifted beside me and I turned back to him. He looked hurriedly away.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing."

Nothing my foot. It was the team. The whole ride Artemis had been glaring at the back of Kal's head and Dick was no better. If he thought I didn't notice his dark looks in our direction he was an idiot. I would have bet any money the only reason Wally wasn't joining the Hate-Kal party was because if he looked away from the road long enough to glare at him the bus would have ended up in pieces in the waste that lined either side of the road. All in all, they were really pissing me off.

I turned around in my seat and fixed Artemis with a withering glare. She gazed back, unblinking.

"Stop," I snapped, turning my gaze on Dick. Unlike Artemis, he looked away. "He's here to help."

"And what are you going to do?" Artemis growled, dropping her eyes to fiddle with her bowstring. "I'll glare at him all I like."

"Leave him alone," I warned.

Kal placed a hand on my shoulder. "Cay, please."

"It looks bad to have a girl fighting your battles, right Kaldur," Artemis leered. "The mighty savior of Atlantis can—"

"Artemis, enough," Wally said, casting a quick glance over his shoulder. "Leave him alone. Or do I have to send you to the back of the bus?"

"No need, Bus Master," she replied, rising from her seat and stalking to the final row of seats. "I can tell when I'm not wanted… unlike some people."

"Wally the Bus Master… I like the sound of that," he laughed.

* * *

After hours of driving the bus slowed to a stop on a particularly bleak stretch of road as the sky began to darken. Wally turned in his seat and looked back at the rest of us.

"We walk from here," he said. "Wouldn't want to let them know we're here before we have to, right?"

"Who, or what, exactly are we dealing with?" I asked. "Parademons?"

Kaldur slid out of the seat and offered me his hand. "If parademons are the worst of what we face, we are lucky. Do not worry about them."

I took his proffered hand and he pulled me to my feet. He was right. I didn't want to know what was worse than the parademons.

Kaldur released my hand as I marched down the narrow aisle of the bus towards the door.

"Do we have a plan?" I asked as Artemis fell into step behind us.

"I don't see why we should even bother when some of us never stick to them," Artemis snapped casting a meaningful glance at Kaldur.

I shot her a nasty look but didn't reply. Instead, I turned to Dick.

"How far away from the Cave are we?"

He tapped away at the device on his wrist as we all filed off the bus.

"We're approximately five miles out. As to a plan… Wally will scout the area before we move in. Then we'll split into two groups, you and Kal, Artemis and me. You and Kal will follow what used to be the shoreline of the harbor. There's enough debris to provide adequate cover if you're attacked. Artemis and I will take the inland route through what used to be the town. Wally can move between us as he pleases and serve as a communicator."

I shifted uneasily. "Should we really split up?"

"Any lookouts are more likely to notice five of us than two of us," Wally reasoned. "Running around in a big group is just asking for trouble."

Kaldur placed a hand on my shoulder. "We will reach the Cave."

I crossed my arms across my chest. This whole plan screamed bad idea. "In one piece?"

* * *

Kal and I moved slowly up the shoreline. What had once been the sparkling contents of the harbor now stagnated in a sludge-like state, lapping at the concrete blocks and metal supports that we walked across.

Ahead of us Mount Justice loomed through the smog that seemed a permanent part of the atmosphere. The peak looked different than I remembered. In this world it was more jagged, severe.

As we continued up a stony embankment an inhuman scream pierced the silence. Kaldur froze as it slowly died away. My heart in my throat I pulled myself up beside him.

"What—" I began.

He cut me off with a swift shake of his head.

We waited. It seemed like hours; my heart pounding, ears straining for the faintest sound. Nothing came. Finally, Kal relaxed beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"There are many things that wander through this place. Let us move on and—"

The scream that cut him off was different than the one before it; less animalistic, more gleeful. And it sounded closer.

Before I had time to react Kaldur had my hand in his and was towing me along the length of the embankment. As we neared the end I realized what we were actually standing on. The burnt out shell of a transport truck. Most of the trailer had been buried in rubble and the cab was barely visible under the dense, black weed-like growth that dominated most of the landscape. The glass in the driver's side window was gone and as whatever it was screamed again I released Kal's hand and wriggled through.

He followed close behind.

The inside of the truck was dark. The dull, red glow coming from the exposed window did little to illuminate us or the interior; and for that I was thankful. The smell was rank and overpowering, but as the crunching footsteps of our pursuers approached I couldn't have cared less.

I looked questioningly at Kal. He raised a finger to his lips. I nodded.

"Where are they?" a female voice demanded from outside of the truck.

Kal looped his arm through mine. I closed my hand around his forearm and leaned into him. If I was going to die, at least I didn't have to worry about being embarrassed about clinging to him afterwards.

"Here, here, here, here," another, higher pitched female voice sang out. "All here!"

There was a thud from above us. I tightened my grip on Kal. He was too focused on the people outside to notice.

"Yes Harriet, we are all here," the first said slowly, as if talking to a child. "But where are the heroes?"

There was silence for a moment as the roof above creaked.

"Gone," Harriet said gleefully. "Gone, gone, gone."

"She's lost them," a third voice declared. "Lashina, I knew we should have brought Artemiz. Those mangy mutts of hers come in handy, on occasion."

"Not lost!" Harriet screamed.

"Quiet," snapped Lashina. "We're moving on. They can't have gone far."

"Can't have gone far. Haven't gone at all," Harriet muttered angrily.

The crunch of their footsteps resumed and slowly faded away into the distance. Every now and again Harriet would cackle madly or let out a low keening cry. It chilled me to the bone.

As soon as I was sure they were out of earshot I released my grip on Kal's arm and shuffled away from him. The truck cab wasn't very big and we were still too close for my liking. The heat his body gave off was distracting. As was the way his muscles rippled beneath the thin film of his shirt.

"What were they?" I asked, leveling my gaze with his.

He shifted to a slightly more comfortable position; closer to me. "Three of Darkseid's personal guard. The Furies. They've been patrolling this area since Granny Goodness returned to Apokolips."

I didn't bother asking who Granny Goodness was. I didn't want to know. Just one more person that most likely would want to kill me if I ever happened to run into her.

"They were looking for us," I said flatly.

"So it would seem," he replied with a small shrug. "I did not count on the three of them banding together to hunt. They generally work alone when patrolling."

I tucked my knees up to my chest and leaned back against the rusted metal interior. "Will they go after the others?"

Again, he shrugged. "They may, they may not. If they were tracking us I would assume they will continue to do so."

"Well don't you two look cozy," interrupted a familiar voice.

I looked up and frowned slightly as Wally's face appeared in the opening of the truck cab.

"'Cozy' would not be my first choice to describe our circumstance," Kaldur replied.

"Well, cozier than Dick and Artemis," Wally shrugged. "They're being followed by three separate groups of parademons. You two need to hustle. They're going to need help."

Kaldur looked stormily up at Wally and began to pull himself towards the speedster. "Dick made it quite clear that we were to follow—"

"Kal," I interrupted, "they need our help."

"And you need to be returned to your world."

I gritted my teeth. He had no idea how much I wanted to make that my first priority; but Wally, Artemis and Dick… they were still my friends. I could never leave them behind. No matter how terrible they had been to him.

"Wally, tell Artemis and Dick that we're on our way," I said, ignoring Kaldur's indignant snort.

"They're twenty minutes east of where we are now," Wally informed us, moving away from the opening as Kaldur and I wriggled out of the cab. "There are parademons north, south and northwest of their position."

Kaldur watched him wordlessly; his face an impassive mask.

"I'll take out the group to the north," Wally continued, "that will give you a path in to meet up with Dick and Artemis. The five of us should be able to easily handle the rest."

"And what about the Furies?" I asked.

Wally's face paled. "They're here?"

"Three of them," Kaldur growled. "Lashina, Mad Harriet, and the third… I could not tell who she was. They were the reason we were in the cab of the truck."

"How long ago did you see them?"

The fear on Wally's face scared me. If the Furies were that dangerous we were in trouble.

"Perhaps fifteen minutes ago," Kaldur replied. "They were following the shoreline."

"The others need to know."

"Wally, wait—" I began.

But he was already gone in a blur of black.

I turned to Kaldur. "We should follow him."

"If that is what you wish."

"That is what I wish," I snapped. "Why are you so willing to leave them to fend for themselves?"

He ignored me and began picking his way through the rubble in a direction I assumed was north. I followed after him, jogging to catch up. When I was within grabbing distance I closed my hand around his wrist. He turned to face me his mouth set in a thin, angry line.

"Why, Kaldur?" I asked in a small voice.

"Because they _can_ fend for themselves," he growled.

"They sent Wally to find us. They need our help."

"They will be fine." He stomped off, wrenching his hand from mine.

"They won't," I said stubbornly. "With the Furies running around and the parademons they won't make it. We need to find them."

Kal walked on. "Wally will be able to eliminate one of the groups of parademons. Artemis and Dick will be able to sneak through before the other groups close in. The Furies will still be following the shore. They believe that is the way we will travel. You and I are going to Mount Justice."

I planted my feet and crossed my arms. I was sick to death of this world. I couldn't understand it. Kaldur's willingness to leave the team behind to die so that we could escape was the last straw. He wasn't Kaldur. Kaldur would never stand by and let something like that happen. I was living proof of that.

"I am _not_ going home knowing they died because I didn't do anything."

He turned and glared at me, his hands balling into fists. "If we aid them we will not make it to Mount Justice. The Furies will notice if we confront three patrols of parademons. They will wait for the soldiers to exhaust us and then they will move in for the kill."

I stalked up to him and glared up at him. "Then that's how it goes. At least we tried."

"I have already watched you die for them once!" he roared, grabbing me by the shoulders. "I will not do so again!"

I stared up at him in shock as every bit of anger drained from his face. His hands dropped to his sides as he turned away.

"I am sorry."

"Kal… I know you want to keep me safe," I said quietly, "but they need our help. Please, you can't just walk away. They're our friends."

He sighed as he turned back to me.

"We must make haste," he said wearily. "Wally will not be able to hold them indefinitely."

I nodded and we resumed our march; heading in the opposite direction.

* * *

After twenty minutes, or so of walking Kaldur ground to a halt; his hands on the hilts of his waterbearers he turned to me.

"Did you hear that?" he asked in a low voice.

I shook my head and drew my baton from the loop at my waist. Then the noise reached my ears - a crack, followed by the sound of loose rocks tumbling down the metal struts around us.

"Did you hear that?" a familiar voice echoed. "Indeed, Aqualad, I heard, I heard. Harriet heard."

"Mad Harriet," Kal hissed under his breath. "Cay, stay close and whatever happens do not let her—"

He fell silent as a slim, green haired woman sauntered out of the shadows of a ruined building. She cackled, waving coyly; three wickedly sharp claws glittered menacingly between her fingers.

I paled and took a few steps towards Kaldur. He had activated his waterbearers, a mace in his right hand a sword in his left; he stared coolly at the Fury before us.

With a wild screech Harriet launched herself at him, electricity arcing down her claws as they clashed with the water constructs. I stumbled away from the two of them and ignited the gel that had begun to gather on my hands and arms the moment Harriet had arrived. The flames slowly moved down the baton until it too was engulfed in flames.

The fight couldn't have lasted more than a thirty seconds but it felt like an eternity watching the two of them struggling to land some sort of hit. Harriet danced around him, jabbing and slicing, her hands moving faster than I thought possible. But somehow Kal always got his guard up in time.

As Harriet made one more erratic swipe at his stomach Kal brought his mace up and sent her careening back into the building she had come from. I exhaled slowly, thinking it was over, but Harriet was on her feet in a matter of seconds.

"No fun," she huffed, glaring at Kaldur. "No fun at all. Maybe your friend will be more obliging."

The wild eyed gaze that met mine set my teeth on edge. She was dangerous. That glance told me all I needed to know and more. She wanted nothing more in the world than to kill. Me or Kaldur, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that someone would die by her hand.

She rushed me in the same way she had rushed Kal, I brought my baton up and caught her claws as she made to slash open my belly. I could dimly hear Kaldur shouting but I was so focused on not dying that what he was doing was really no concern to me. As she jumped back to prepare for another attack I lofted a ball of flaming gel at her with my unoccupied hand.

Sliding out of its path she giggled as it flew harmlessly past her head.

"Silly little girl, I'm not—" she was cut off as a wall of water crashed into her, throwing back twenty, no, thirty feet. I leapt back, narrowly avoiding getting soaked myself.

I turned on Kaldur. "Kal!"

"Engaging her is far more dangerous than you realize," he growled, stalking past me as Harriet raised herself to her feet. "Go find Wally. I will hold her back."

"No one leaves!" Harriet cried, her green hair hanging in limp, sopping clumps. "Everyone dies!"

She raked her claws across the air in front of her and cackled. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kal raise a brutal looking mace in both hands. I increased the gel production on my arms and hands. The flames leapt higher, crackling hungrily as Harriet leapt towards us.

Kal stared at me darkly. "Cay. Go."

I cupped my hands, the gel gathering and seeping through my fingers. I wasn't going anywhere. And then I was falling backwards. My head hit the ground with a painful crack and white spots danced before my eyes. The flames on my arms went out with a pitiful sputter as I rolled to my hands and knees.

"Kal," I hissed under my breath, "you idiot."

He had his mace locked with Harriet's blades. Then the weapons disentangled themselves and the fight resumed. Harriet slashed at Kal's belly. He dodged and his mace swung up and caught her in the ribs. She flew back and landed like a sack of potatoes amongst the rubble. She didn't get up.

Kal turned back to me angrily.

"What are you doing?" he asked, striding back to me and pulling me to my feet. "Run."

I swayed for a moment and closed my fingers around his arm, not wanting to fall again. "Is she dead?"

He shook his head. "She is not that easy to kill."

"Then work with me!"

"I will not allow you to put yourself in danger."

I clenched my jaw. "Not your decision Kaldur'ahm."

He regarded me for a moment and then laughed humorlessly. "I have never heard you call me Kaldur'ahm. Are you angry?"

I stared at him blankly. "No, I'm not angry. I'm frustrated. There's a difference."

"Do they not generally go hand in hand?"

Harriet shifted in her pile of rubble, a soft gurgle escaping her lips. I shot Kaldur a worried look.

"You are ready to go?" he asked with the smallest hint of a smile.

I scowled. "You're coming."

He looked as though he was going to respond but I tightened my grip around his wrist and dragged him after me as I broke into a jog.

* * *

Kaldur and I almost made it to where we were supposed to rendezvous with Wally. We would have made it too, if we hadn't had to cross the river.

I have a problem with anything aqueous even if it's sparkling and clean. The river Kaldur wanted me to wade across was dirty and fetid. The smell made me gag. And I couldn't cross it. Even if I had wanted to.

"It is the fastest way," Kal said patiently.

"And if I wade through I'll be wet and slimy," I pointed out.

"But we will be on the opposite bank and one step closer to getting into Mount Justice." He paused. "One step closer to sending you home."

"And I'll be useless if we run into anything mean and nasty."

He ignored me and took a step toward the river, sliding his hand into mine. "We will be fine,"

I dug my heels into the dirt and bit my lip.

"Kal—" I began.

"Cay," he interrupted warningly. "Trust me."

And then the ground shook. It couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds but the violent shudders that rippled through the dirt beneath my feet were decidedly ominous. When they had stopped I looked over at Kal worriedly.

"What was that?" I asked.

He shrugged and fixed me with a steady gaze. "I would rather we not wait around to find out."

"Then we'd better find a way across this river that doesn't involve me getting sopping wet," I said crossing my arms and looking across at the opposite bank.

Kaldur grumbled something I couldn't make out.

I turned to him. "What—"

In one fluid movement he scooped me off my feet and was striding down into the river.

"Kal!" I protested, wriggling in his grip. "Stop!"

"You will be fine," he said, calmly stepping into the water. "I will not let anything happen to you."

"Kal, I trust you. But if you get me at all wet I will beat you."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and tucked my knees as far away from the roiling muck that bubbled around his waist as possible.

He chuckled and tightened his grip. I leaned into his chest as he waded across the river. The water sloshed around Kal's legs as he strode through and I remained safely above.

It was over far too quickly for my liking. But all good things must end and Kal lowered me to the ground when we were safely back on dry land.

"Thanks," I muttered, straightening my arm guards, not meeting his eyes.

Nodding, a small smile on his lips, he walked on. "Come, this way."

We had been making steady progress towards where Wally was waiting when I heard something disturbing the rubble behind us.

"Kal," I said warningly.

"I heard it," he replied quietly, stopping in his tracks and turning back to me. "I had hoped Harriet would return to her comrades. It would seem she has not."

"Can we outrun her?"

He shook his head. "We would only succeed in tiring ourselves."

"Then we fight," I said, moving a step closer to him.

"Indeed. She is already wounded. Perhaps, between the two of us…" he trailed off.

I drew my baton out from the loop in my belt where I had stowed it after our last run in with Mad Harriet. The gel coated my arms and moved up the handle to the shaft. With a click of my rings flames burst into life, greedily consuming the gel.

Kal drew his waterbearers, his gaze fixated on the narrow path we had followed between the shells of two collapsed apartment buildings. Turning to me he smiled slightly.

"Do not—"

The blade that buried itself in his back silenced him.

I couldn't get to him fast enough.

* * *

**A/N: I am so sorry for taking so long to update. I've been busy with things and I couldn't quite decide where I was going with the story. I have now though and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I promise it won't take as long for the next one, ha ha ha. **

**Happy reading!**

**V.K. **


	11. Stranger

I reached Kal in a matter of seconds.

He was slumped forward, hands trying to staunch the blood that seeped from the wound in his shoulder. I fell to my knees beside him, a sob caught in my throat as he tried to rise to his feet. The blade didn't look as though it had pierced anything vital, but I couldn't tell. There was too much blood.

"Go," he groaned as he dropped back down to the ground.

I couldn't say anything. I struggled against the lump in my throat, but all that came was a garbled squeak.

"Go," he said again, reaching for his water-bearers.

From somewhere behind us I could hear quiet laughter. I stared at Kal. I stared at his blood pooling in the mud beneath him. I stared at my hands, reaching for his. Trying to do something. Anything.

"Cay," he hissed, his hands closing around mine. "Go."

"No," I croaked, finding my voice. "I can't."

"You," he paused and took a deep, shuddering breath, "must."

I shook my head. "I can't leave you."

"One, two, she will leave you," interrupted a familiar voice.

My head snapped up. Standing ten or so paces from where Kal was lying was Mad Harriet. I watched her warily. She laughed as Kal reached weakly for the hilt of his nearest water-bearer.

"My knife!" she laughed gleefully, motioning to Kaldur with her clawed hand. "You found it!"

"Cay, go," Kal pleaded faintly.

I was still staring at Harriet. She was leaning heavily on the concrete wall that she was standing next to. Her eyes still had the same mad gleam to them but she looked different.

"Cay, go," Harriet crowed mockingly. "Cay, stay."

I rose to my feet, scooping up my baton as I stood protectively in front of Kaldur.

Harriet laughed as she brandished her claws, electricity crackling up and down their length.

"Cay has nothing to say," she laughed, taking a menacing step towards me.

I glanced at Kaldur over my shoulder. He was still trying to reach his other water-bearer. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. I could save him. I would save him.

Wiping the dirt and tears from my face I looked back to Harriet. She was watching me, gleefully anticipating the fight.

"You make not a sound," she said with a wicked grin. "Cat got your tongue?"

In a matter of seconds gel coated my entire body. I didn't have a plan. But I would win.

She rushed me, as she had done to Kaldur before. I brushed my rings together, igniting the gel. The two of us met as her claws dug into my side. She cackled madly, thinking she had won. The electricity arced from her hand and dissipated into the gel that had seeped through the fabric of my suit. I roared, in pain and in triumph as I wrapped my arms around her. The flames leapt from my body to hers.

Harriet screamed.

As long as I've lived I have never heard such a terrible sound. And I will never forget it.

She struggled furiously, her claws digging into my breastplate. Once or twice they found flesh. But, it only made me tighten my grip. She flipped to the ground, taking me with her, and pinning my body beneath hers.

I don't know how long the two of us stayed like that – locked together. But by the time I let her go, Harriet had stopped screaming. I pushed her charred body to the ground beside me. It landed with a dull thud as I let out an enormous sob.

I had killed a person. I had burned her to death. I had felt her last breath rattle from her body. I had watched the light die in her eyes. By my hand she was dead.

"Cay."

I spun around, fresh tears streaming down my cheeks. "Kal."

He was lying flat on his back, his hands pressed to his shoulder. I stumbled back to him, Harriet all but forgotten. "Kal."

"You…" he trailed off as I dropped down to my knees next to him. "You defeated her."

"She's dead," I sobbed.

His hand closed around mine; cold and clammy.

"You have done," he paused, trying to keep his voice steady, "nothing wrong."

"I killed her."

"She would have killed you," he whispered.

I remained silent. She would have. Then why did I feel so terrible?

"Cay," Kaldur coughed.

I looked down at him. He was dying.

"We need to go, Kal."

He shook his head. "You must make it to the Cave. Find Dick; he can send you home."

Stooping down I looped my arm under his shoulders. My side throbbing painfully I hauled him into a sitting position.

"Cay," he gasped.

I ignored him and hauled him to his feet. He swayed slightly as most of his weight rested on me.

"What are you doing?"

"Saving you," I grunted, taking a tentative step forward. Kal weighed a ton. He couldn't support himself and all his weight was resting across my shoulders.

"A fool's errand," he hissed, trying to push himself away. "Go."

I refused to let go of his hand and took another step forward.

"You are injured as well."

Another step. It was tunnel vision. All I could see was the dirt in front of my feet. I didn't know where I was going but I didn't care – I would save Kal.

"Cay. you will kill yourself saving me!" he shouted, wincing. "Listen to me."

"I'm going to die anyway," I said flatly. It was a truth I had known since I had landed in this world. But I hadn't acknowledged it. I couldn't accept it. Until then. There was never a chance I could go home. "And I'd rather die with you."

"You will not die. Not again."

I took another step. "Is there anywhere we can hide?"

"Cay, leave me—" he implored, as I cut him off with an angry glance.

"Stop wasting your breath," I snapped, shifting his arm to lie more comfortably across my neck. "I'm not leaving you here and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Then we need to find a way to staunch this," he said, nodding at his shoulder.

"Any ideas?" I asked, lowering him down onto a convenient outcropping of rock.

He shook his head. I bit the inside of my lip and slid onto the rock beside him.

"Wait," I said suddenly, "I think I have an idea."

Kal looked up. "What?"

"Well… I could burn it shut. I just need a piece of metal." I cast a glance around the rubble filled landscape. "That shouldn't be too hard."

It wasn't. I hadn't gone more than ten steps before a piece of sheet metal caught my eye. It was twice the width of my hand, smooth, and pretty much devoid of rust. I turned and made my way slowly back to Kal, the wound in my own side throbbing painfully.

"What do you plan on doing with that?" he asked, eyeing the length of metal in my hand.

"I'm not quite sure, just let me see if this will work," I replied.

As soon as I could feel the gel coating my hands I brought my rings together. Fire roared over my palms and the metal.

Hardly any time at all passed before the metal was red hot. It felt oddly warm in my hand, even amongst the flames.

"Okay," I said, crouching in front of him. "I saw this in a movie—"

"That is not a comforting thought," Kal said dryly.

"Neither is you dying on me," I snapped, "now listen… this should seal your shoulder wound. And also, in my defense it was a really historically accurate movie so I think this will work."

Kal chuckled weakly and peeled back the fabric of his shirt with his good arm. "Go ahead."

I took a deep breath and readied the metal. "Hold still."

"Says the girl holding the molten piece of m—"

The rest of his words dissolved into a hiss of pain as I pressed the metal onto his shoulder. A few seconds of contact and I pulled it away, leaving behind a crudely cauterized wound.

"I need to do the back of it too," I said weakly, the acrid smell of burning flesh filling my nose. It brought back images of Harriet. I closed my eyes, trying to banish them from my mind. I had to focus. Focus on Kal.

Opening my eyes Kal had shifted towards the opposite edge of the rock. Again I heated the metal and pressed it into his shoulder. He stayed quiet this time and as soon as I was sure the wound was closed I tossed the metal into the rubble around us.

Looking down at the wound Kal reached up and gingerly ran the fingers of his good hand across it. "Impressive."

"It pays to watch TV," I smiled.

He laced his fingers through mine. "We need to keep moving."

I nodded and untangled my fingers from his. "You're right."

* * *

We trudged through the mud. It seemed to stretch on forever. The rubble of Happy Harbor had abruptly given way to the bleached waste that we slogged through. The dark silhouette of Mount Justice still impossibly far away.

"If you need—" Kal began.

He was cut off as the ground bucked and rocked beneath our feet. We lurched sideways. Kal pushed himself away from me and dropped to the ground. I staggered a few steps forward and righted myself as the tremors faded.

"What was that?" I groaned, pain shooting up my side.

"I do not know," Kal replied, pulling himself into a sitting position.

I limped over and dropped down next to him. "We need to keep moving."

He shook his head. "Cay, you need to rest."

"I need to rest?" I said with a humorless laugh. "I'm not the one who was slowly bleeding to death."

It was Kal's turn to laugh. "Cay…" he trailed off, eyes dropping to the gashes in my breastplate.

I glanced down at my side. Even against the black fabric of my suit the blood was staining through. I sighed and drew a hand across it. It throbbed painfully before returning to its former dull ache.

"Just a scratch," I joked,

Kal leaned back against the rock and shut his eyes. "It is quite the scratch."

Lapsing into silence I adjusted the guards on my shins and forearms. If we were going to make it to the Cave, I was going to have to get us there.

"We need to keep moving Kal."

He shook his head.

"We're sitting ducks here," I continued. "The other Furies will find Harriet and when they do—"

"Cay," he interrupted.

I shot him an irritated glance. "What now?"

"The Cave is no longer an option."

"Wh—"

"Because," he continued slowly, "the rest of the Team has failed."

"You can't know that," I reasoned. "They could have made it through the parademons. How do we know Wally isn't looking for us?"

"Wally can scout the entire state of Rhode Island in less than an hour; if he wanted to find us, he would have."

Again we fell into silence. Kal was right, of course. But there was something else.

"Then what are we doing here, Kal?"

He shifted slightly and shook his head. "I do not know."

My eyes fell on his shoulder. The blood was seeping between his fingers. I would have to fix that before we moved on.

"Here—" I began, but Kal was gone.

Everything was gone. I was crouched in the midst of a grey void. Everywhere I looked was the same slowly shifting substance.

I sprang to my feet, ignoring the sharp pain in my side. "Kal!"

There was no answer. The panic rising in my gut was making me frantic. It had to be a new trick. The Furies, they had found us.

"Kaldur!"

Or maybe it was Darkseid.

"Kaldur! Where are you!"

"Caelyn, calm yourself."

I spun around and came face to face with a tall, cloaked man. He regarded me calmly from under the brim of his hat.

I reeled backwards with a startled cry. "Who are you?"

"I am here for you," he said simply.

My eyes darted from his face to the strange shifting walls that had imprisoned me.

"We are in between dimensions," he supplied, adjusting the dark blue cloak about his shoulders.

"In between… where's Kaldur?" I snapped, keeping a wary distance.

The man crossed his arms. "Exactly where he should be."

"You left him there," I mumbled, shocked. "You took me… and left him."

"You are fortunate I found you when I did. Had I—"

"You left him there!" I spat angrily. "He's going to die!"

"He was of that world, despite your interference he was where he was meant to be," he said slowly. "His fate is tied to—"

I stalked back to him and jabbed a finger in his chest. "Put. Me. Back."

He fixed me with a cold stare. "I cannot do that."

"You brought me here!" I hissed. "Send me back."

The man turned his back to me. "I cannot do that, Caelyn. You are not of that world. Your presence greatly altered the course of its events. There is nothing I can do."

"Nothing… what are you saying?" I paused, at a loss for words. "Who _are _you?"

"You may call me the Phantom Stranger, others do." He sighed. "Caelyn, you must return to your own world. You were never meant to be in the reality that I retrieved you from."

"You didn't answer my question; what is going on?" I snapped.

The Stranger turned back around, the shadow cast by his hat still obscuring his eyes. "You were sent to this reality by mistake. The device your mother used tore through the fabric of time and space. I was sent to retrieve you."

"Sent by who?"

"That is not your concern," he said quietly. "We need to return to your world."

"I can't leave," I muttered. "I have to save Kal."

The Stranger sighed. "You cannot save him."

"You don't know that."

"That is where you are wrong. That world is gone," he replied.

I stared at him in disbelief. "No."

I turned back to the grey, swirling wall behind me. "Let me out."

I could hear the Stranger moving behind me.

"Darkseid destabilized the core of the planet to a point where it could no longer support itself. That Earth is no more."

Tears stung at my eyes, but I refused to cry in front of him.

"If you had let me stay—" I began.

"You would be dead," he finished, his mouth set in a hard line.

"I—"

"This cannot go on," he interrupted. "You must be returned to your Earth. As you were."

I stared at him. He wanted to send me home. "You want me to go back with—"

"You will remember nothing of what happened," he concluded.

"For one thing," I bristled, "stop interrupting me. And for another, I won't let you do this. I won't let things play out in my world how they did here. I won't forget."

"There is a tenuous link between this world and your own, yes," the Stranger said tightly. "All the realities are connected in some way. But, the likelihood that events will play out as they have here is infinitesimal."

The walls of the void we were suspended in shifted. Gray gave way to an inky black. I stared bleakly at the Stranger.

"You cannot remain here," he stated. "I must return you to your world. Your time. Your universe."

"I won't let you in my head."

He watched me quietly for a moment. "It is not a question of whether or not you will 'let' me. You cannot return to your world like this."

"I can and I will."

The Stranger sighed. "The order in your universe depends on things returning to the way they were. You cannot return with your memories of this place intact. I am sorry that this had to happen. I was not paying close enough attention and you slipped through without my noticing."

"So, I was supposed to die when Tess sent me through that tunnel?" I asked harshly. "Maybe you should just kill me Stranger, because if I have to go back—"

"You will listen to me, Caelyn Tare," he snapped. "You will never save your world or your friends if you remain in the state you are. You are broken."

A sob stuck in my throat as I shook my head. He was wrong. I could stop this. I could save them. I could save Kal. "I'm not broken. I know now. About Kal, about me. About everyone! How can I save anyone if I go back and don't remember? I'm not strong. I'm… I'm not a hero." I looked up at him. "Stranger, the me from that reality showed me what I have to be. Please… I—"

"Caelyn," the Stranger said softly, "the events that shaped her and the events that shaped you are not the same. Do you really want your friends to see you as you are now?"

I looked down at my hands. The blackened soot from Harriet was still fresh on my palms. It was under my nails. It was ground into my very skin. I would never be able to get it off my hands.

"Can you… read my mind?"

He shook his head. It was strange; no matter how he moved his face, no matter how the light of the void changed, the shadow cast by his fedora never deviated from its mask-like shape.

"You are not difficult to read Caelyn," he said quietly.

I stared at him blankly. "Then you know my answer."

"Your world could follow a thousand different paths. People will die. That is the way of mortals. Some may be your friends, others, your enemies." He paused. "But it all comes down to one thing Caelyn. When the time comes the knowledge of what has happened in this world will destroy you."

"I have to save Kal. The team."

"You can, but you will have to trust me," the Stranger said.

I glared at him. "I will never trust you."

"Then you are a fool. I did not want to have to force this on you," the Stranger said, his voice heavy. "But it seems that is how it must be. Know that this is for the best."

He was standing in front of me with his hands holding either side of my face before I had time to react.

"Close your eyes."

"No."

His mask disappeared, leaving me staring into the milky whites of his eyes. He had no pupils, no irises, nothing. They were devoid of any color, any depth. Looking into them, I could feel myself slipping away. I desperately clung to what I knew.

"Caelyn," the Stranger said, his voice sounding far away, "I am sorry."

"No you aren't."

And everything went black.

* * *

In hindsight, what the Stranger did was probably the kindest thing he could have done for me. He was right to try and purge what had happened from my mind. I could never have gone home and done the things I did with the weight of the death of a whole world on my shoulders. The time I had free of the memories made me stronger. If I could see him again, I would thank him.

* * *

When I next opened my eyes I had no idea where I was. To my left were a beeping monitor and an IV bag that connected to a drip in my arm. I stared at them uncomprehendingly.

The door to the room swung open, light flooding in from the hallway as Kaldur walked in.

I stared at him. He stared at me.

"Cay."

I smiled trying to sit up in the bed. My side erupted in pain and I fell back into the mountain of pillows with a groan. "Hey Kal."

He was at my bedside in seconds.

"You are alright?" he asked.

I nodded. "We're… back in the Cave?"

"Indeed. Cay, where did you go?"

I looked up at him questioningly. "I… what do you mean?"

"In Bialya—"

"Cay!" Megan shrieked, soaring through the doorway and landing next to Kaldur. "I thought I heard voices! You're awake!"

"I am," I replied, watching Kal carefully.

He looked worried.

"So…" I said after a moment of silence. "What's up?"

Kal and Megan exchanged looks.

"Then Uncle J'onn was right… you don't remember?" Megan asked.

"Of course I do," I said, thinking of Bialya. "You returned my memories."

Kaldur shook his head. "Cay, when Tess—"

An image of a tunnel of bright white light flashed in my mind's eye.

"The tunnel," I blurted. "She… what did she do?"

Megan sat down on the edge of my bed. "We were hoping you could tell us."

I closed my eyes. "I can…" I paused. After the bright white light there was nothing. I couldn't remember a thing.

"You were missing for over eight hours," Kaldur said tightly.

"The League went looking for you, after they sent us back here," Megan said sheepishly. "Uncle J'onn found you close to where we had our stand-off with your m—Tess."

"But… "

Kal leaned over and flicked the beeping monitor off. "You were gone, Cay."

"We watched you disappear," Megan agreed. "And then Tess was gone. Robin and Wally tried to get the box she had used back, but they couldn't."

"We thought you were lost," Kal said quietly.

"But you're back! And you're safe! That's something and I'm sure that if anything did happen to you you'll remember in time." Megan smiled. "Are you hungry? I'm making cookies! Actually, they should be done… I'll be right back!"

She levitated into the air and swooped out of the room with a cry of dismay as Superboy called from somewhere down the hall that there was smoke coming out of the oven.

"Can you truly not remember?" Kal asked.

I shook my head. "I remember the desert and I remember Tess." I smiled slightly. "I remember stuffing you into the back of a Jeep. But… that was all Bialya. I can't… there's nothing. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he replied. "I am the one that should—"

"It's funny," I interrupted, "but I feel like we've had this conversation before. I'm sorry, you're sorrier. Can we just skip it?"

He shook his head. "I should not have—"

"Been passed out in the bioship, dehydrated to the point of death because you had been in the desert for too long?" I supplied, rolling my eyes. "Kal, how could you be so selfish?"

He chuckled. "Still—"

"Still nothing," I said bluntly. "Tess would have done what she did even if you were there."

"I could have done something," he insisted, lowering himself onto the end of my bed.

"I'm back Kal, and I'm fine," I assured him.

He looked back at me. "You lost a lot of blood. Something happened to you, the fact that you do not remember is—"

"Look who's awake!"

Standing in the doorway were Robin and Wally.

"Hey guys," I laughed shakily.

"Cay, Cay, Cay," Wally said, sauntering into the room. "You had quite the adventure."

"Did I?" I asked. "I don't remember much of it so…"

"Well, you came back pretty broken so all I can say is wherever you were must have been…" he paused for effect, "hot with danger."

He and Robin burst out laughing as Kal and I exchanged looks.

"Oh c'mon guys, it's funny," Robin chided. "Get it? Fraught with danger, _hot_ with danger?"

"It's taken me all day to think that up!" Wally added. "You know, Cay and fire… fire is hot, Cay's hot—"

"Yeah, we got it Wally," I said quickly. "Just… not quite the right time."

"Rob, I knew I should have saved it!" he cried in dismay, turning on the younger boy. "But no, _you_ thought it would be great. That is the last time I take comedic advice from you."

"Don't blame me," Robin said, crossing his arms. "You have all the comedic timing of a cinder block."

Artemis appeared in the doorway. "Did he use the 'hot with danger' line?"

Robin nodded. "Sure did."

"Idiot," Artemis sighed, rolling her eyes. "How you doing Cay?"

"Fine," I said simply, stealing a glance at Kaldur. He was watching the proceedings with a look of barely suppressed irritation.

Artemis looked from me to Kaldur and then at Wally and Robin.

"You two are so out of it," she snapped.

Wally and Robin looked questioningly at one another. Robin shrugged.

"What are you talking about?" Wally asked.

Artemis stalked in and grabbed Wally by the arm. "I need both of your help."

"With what?" Wally yelped as she dragged him from the room.

"Stuff," Artemis snapped evasively.

Robin trailed after them and pausing in the doorway, he waved. "See you later Cay."

I nodded. "See ya."

As soon as they left Kal looked to the door. "I should go."

"Oh, uh, I…" I trailed of, staring at him stupidly. I didn't want him to leave.

"You should rest," he said awkwardly, rising to his feet. "I am glad that you are alright."

I bit my lip as he began walking towards the door. "Kal."

He turned back expectantly. "Yes?"

"You're going? Because, I mean, if you're not doing anything, you could stay… or not, I know you probably have stuff to do," I said quickly. "Actually, you know, it's okay. You're busy team leading and all that. Megan'll be back soon anyway and I'm sure—"

"Cay, if you would like company," he said, giving the door a nudge with his foot causing it to swing softly shut, "all you have to do is ask."

He paused, his face creasing with worry. "That is what you want, is it not?"

I laughed. "Yes, please. But… let's go sit by the TV."

"I do not think you sh—"

He silenced himself as I swung my legs off the edge of my bed. The pain in my side was sharp but I managed to ignore it as I pulled myself to my feet. I shot Kal a triumphant look and promptly toppled sideways.

Luckily, he was beside me in a moment and caught me before I hit the tiles.

"Perhaps," he said, gently lifting me to my feet, "we should remain here."

"And perhaps," I said pointing to the door, "you should just help me get out to the couch instead of insisting I stay here."

He sighed. "You are being very difficult."

"I am aren't I?" I laughed. "Ah well, I never said I was perfect. C'mon, it's not that far away."

Despite Kal's reluctance I managed to limp my way out through the kitchen and into the TV room. Lowering myself down onto the couch I grinned up at him.

"Ta-dah! We made it," I grinned. "And I'm still alive and none the worse for wear."

He sighed and dropped down next to me. "And how do you propose you will get back?"

"Back?" I asked. "I was planning on living on the couch for the next couple days."

"Oh, well… what would you like to watch?" he fished the remote out from between the cushions and handed it to me.

I shrugged and flicked the TV on. It was obvious who had last been using the set. Black and white static flashed on screen, filling the room with its monotone buzzing. I flicked on the satellite and the TV listing flickered into existence.

"Is it just me," I asked after a minute or so of flipping through channels, "or is the Cave oddly quiet?"

Kal looked around. "I was wondering that myself."

We lapsed into silence. Tucking my knees up to my chest I settled on a rerun of an old action movie that, though cheesy, was pretty good. The constant ache of whatever wounds I had managed to inflict on myself were throbbing and I found it hard to concentrate. After about ten minutes of pointless explosions and a chase scene the hero of the movie rescued his girlfriend from the clutches of the evil communists. As they drove off into the sunset while the police were left to deal with the monstrous property damage I remembered something Kal had said while we were in Bialya.

"In the desert," I said slowly, turning to face him, "you were going to say something before we got mind wiped."

His eyes flicked to my face and then back to the TV screen. "It is of little consequence now."

Of little consequence my foot, it was something important. "What was it?"

"It does not matter," he replied stubbornly.

I crossed my arms and stared at him. "It matters to me. You had something important enough to bring up in the middle of our mission. What was it?"

He remained silent for a few moments and then met my gaze. "Before our mission in Bialya I returned to Atlantis. I needed to… well, I was not sure that life on the surface was for me." I opened my mouth to interrupt that he was being stupid and that of course he belonged here but he held up his hand for quiet. "Please."

I sank back in the couch cushions and nodded for him to go on.

"When I returned here I had made a decision to remain with the team as… things in Atlantis had changed. But that was not the only reason I returned. I also…" He paused and shifted his gaze from the floor back to me. "I thought, perhaps, there was something… someone, for me here."

I stared back at him, my mouth hanging open slightly. I managed a very eloquent: "Uh…"

"All I wanted to say in Bialya," he continued, "was that… I had come back for you. And for the team. But…"

I grinned stupidly at that. My day had just gotten a whole lot better. "Oh."

"I understand if you do not feel—"

I kicked him in the thigh. "Kal, listen. I… I'm glad you came back. And… I feel the same." He was grinning at that point and I laughed. "You look relieved."

"I could not think of a way to tell you," he admitted. "And I thought… you had someone else."

I laughed again.

"And I thought you were…" I trailed off, my cheeks growing hot. Probably not the time to admit that I thought he was gay. "Nevermind."

"Then you would, perhaps…" He cleared his throat. "Perhaps you would care to accompany me on an outing into the city. I do not know my way around."

"I would love to," I grinned.

"Then, when you are healed," he said, "we will visit Metropolis."

"It's a date. Unless… it is a date, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is a date."

I looked back to the TV, grinning smugly. The sequel to the previous action movie had begun to play.

"So what exactly was the point of that?"

Wally's voice drifted through the kitchen. Kal and I turned to look at the door.

"You are so out of it," Artemis snapped. "All of you are!"

She, Wally, Robin, Supey and Megan came traipsing through the door moments later.

"Cay!" Megan cried. "You're out of your room!"

"Hey! Faster and More Furious 2! I love this movie," Wally laughed, dropping down on the couch between Kal and I.

Artemis was on him in a second, dragging him off the couch and into a chair. "Maybe you should let the injured girl sit by herself."

"Why does Kaldur get to sit with her?" Wally complained.

"Because Kaldur... you know what, it doesn't matter," Artemis informed him, falling into the seat next to him. "Now shut up and watch your movie."

"But—" Wally began.

"So Cay," Megan interrupted, squatting down next to me. "I have something to ask you."

"Okay," I said. "What is it?"

"Well," she replied glancing quickly from Supey to me, "Superboy and I have enrolled at Happy Harbor High School… I was wondering if you wanted to as well."

"I would love to go to school with you guys," I said slowly. "But I'm already enrolled at my high school in Metropolis."

Megan's face fell.

"You could transfer," Superboy suggested.

"Well, yeah… I could."

"Then you will?" Megan asked excitedly.

"I-I'll talk to Jack," I replied evasively. "And I'd have to see if I could, I mean, school starts in three days right?"

"The day after tomorrow," Robin said from behind me.

"Oh."

Kal nudged my foot with his knee. "You do not need to decide right now."

That was when I heard a familiar tone.

"Does anyone know where my phone is?" I asked, checking the pockets of my sweatpants out of habit more than anything else.

Megan leapt to her feet and soared out of the room. "I'll get it."

"She plugged it in after the battery ran out," Robin supplied as I craned my neck to look at him. He was leaning in the doorway holding a duffel bag. "You were getting a lot of calls."

"Mainly from Jack," Wally said absently, his gaze fixed on the TV.

My heart fell. "Does he know what happened?"

Kal shifted uncomfortably. "The League did not want—"

"They didn't tell him?"

"No," he said simply. "They did not."

Megan drifted back into the room as the phone beeped that it had a voicemail. "Here it is."

I took it from her outstretched hand and flipped it open. I had 43 missed calls and almost as many voicemails.

"Jack," I sighed.

"Maybe," Megan said, "you should call him back?"

I looked down at the phone. "I should."

Glancing back up I noticed the rest of the team staring at me expectantly. I sighed and selected Jack's number from my contact's list. The line buzzed once before he answered.

"Cay?" he asked, breathless.

"Hi Jack," I said brightly.

"Where have you been!" he shouted. "I've been calling you!"

"Yeah, I noticed. Sorry Jack."

He uttered an indignant snort. "Sorry? Sorry? Where have you been?"

"Uh… well, I can't really answer that," I mumbled, staring at the floor beside the couch.

"And why not?" he snapped.

"Because… I don't really know."

There was silence on the end of the line.

"Jack?" I ventured tentatively. "Are you still there?"

He grunted something unintelligible. "Where are you?"

"At the Cave," I replied immediately.

"I'll be there in as soon as I can."

"Uh…" I glanced at Kal who was watching me carefully. "Maybe it can wait until tomorrow?"

Jack fell silent for a few moments.

"I'm kind of tired and—"

"Cay, you're a terrible liar," he interrupted. "What's the matter?"

"Well… you should probably wait until tomorrow because…" I paused and took a deep breath. "I'm kind of injured and can't leave the couch, but I'll be okay—"

"Cay!" he cried in dismay. "How – what happened?"

"I don't know," I sighed.

"How can you—"

"Because I don't remember," I interrupted. I understood that he was worried, but at that moment I really didn't want to talk about what had happened. "Look—"

I was interrupted by the announcement of Batman's arrival. Kal carefully rose off the couch and strode from the room. I watched him go sadly. I had hoped he would stay with me at least until the movie was done.

"Cay," Jack said, his voice tight. "What was that?"

"Batman," I replied distractedly as the hero strode into the room, followed closely by Kal. Batman fixed me with a steady gaze. I knew my conversation with Jack would have to wait. "Jack, I have to go."

"Cay, I still—"

"I'll call you later!"

I ended the call and turned off my phone. As I slid it into my pocket I looked up at Batman expectantly. He glanced at the rest of the team who were trying to make it look like they hadn't been listening intently to my phone conversation.

"Would you all please give us a moment?" he asked.

Wally sighed and shut off the TV as he and the rest of the team filed out the doorway. Megan paused in the doorway and shot me a reassuring smile before leaving Batman, Kal and I alone in the TV room.

Batman regarded me for a moment before he finally spoke. "You have recovered?"

"Marginally," I conceded.

"Good, because I have some questions for you."

* * *

**A/N: Now, with this arc over I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Vertikalen, what the heck? Why make us go through all that harrowing terrible if Cay was only going to forget it all? You are a terrible person and deserve to die because alternate Kaldur is dead!"**

**Well readers, frankly I find your lack of faith disturbing. There is a reason for everything I do. ALL WILL BE REVEALED. **

**For those of you that were thinking, "Vertikalen you're amazing! This story is amazing! I am going to go back to the beginning and read the shit out of this story again and again until you decide to bless me with another update!" thank you. I am amazing, I know. **

**And for those of you that are displeased by alternate Kal's demise I AM SORRY BUT HE HAD TO DIE. It was kind of the whole reason I introduced him… as terrible as it sounds. Anyway, I hope that the impending amazing that is Cay and Kal's 'date' has kind of overshadowed the fact.**

**Okay. So, the next chapter will be up whenever the creators decide to let us have the rest of the first season. I believe that's in September so you don't have to wait that long! I don't want to go ahead and write stuff without knowing what the show is up to, I'm sure you all understand. Canon must be respected my dear readers.**

**Finally, I want to thank Ballpoints for her wonderful 50****th**** review. And I want to thank her for editing the crap out of this chapter! She has some very witty things to say that I wish I could share with you all. Unfortunately, they will have to remain inside jokes between the two of us until I discover a way to artfully include them. **

**I also want to thank everyone else that has reviewed! I'm too lazy to get all your names but know that I am grateful for your reviews! Also a big thank you to everyone who has favorite/added the story to their alerts! **

**I'm done now. **

**Goodbye dear readers!**

**PS. I have totally watched Targets! I saw it the day it got leaked! Thanks to all who let me know it was out even though... well you know... I've already seen it. I'm going now!  
**


	12. Hardware

Batman walked towards me and dropped a duffel bag on the floor beside the couch. I looked from it to him. He crossed his arms, his face unreadable beneath his mask.

"I'd like you to look inside," he said quietly.

I nodded and quickly scooped the duffel up on my lap. It wasn't heavy. Kal shifted uncomfortably behind Batman, his face creased with worry as he watched the proceedings. I cast him a reassuring glance before I unzipped the duffel.

The smell hit me like a brick wall. My stomach rolled as I peered into the bag. I couldn't quite place it. It smelled like when you burn burgers on the barbeque, but there was something else to it. Beneath the overpowering scent of smoke there was something acrid; something very wrong.

"What is this?" I gagged, pulling what looked like an arm guard out and turning it over in my hands. It was lightweight, streamlined.

Batman stayed silent as Kal peered around him. I returned my gaze to the bag and pulled out another three guards; one for the other arm, another two for the shins. At the bottom was a breastplate as well as a rather ragged looking black suit; like the one Jack had made me.

"Why are you giving me a bag full of secondhand armor?" I asked, confused.

"I'm not giving you anything," Batman replied. "I'm returning what's rightfully yours."

I glanced down at the motley collection sprawled across the sofa. "Excuse me?"

"Your locator fell off the grid at the same time the League detected another massive energy surge in the desert," he said grimly. "Aqualad broke radio silence once the team had crossed over the Bialyan border into neutral territory. The League scanned the desert. You were gone. Six and a half hours after radio silence was broken and we were alerted of your disappearance, your locator came back online. You were picked up on the Iranian border, barely conscious and wearing this." He motioned to the armor on my lap. "Can you explain it? Any of it, Ms. Tare?"

I stared at the armor in disbelief. "The last thing I remember was facing down Tess and a white light. After that I go blank. Does the League—"

He anticipated my question and cut me off with a swift shake of his head. "We have no information on the whereabouts of your mother."

"Well…" I trailed off. "I have no idea what this stuff is or how I came about having it… I'm sorry."

Batman kept his intense gaze fixed on me. I fidgeted, sick of all the attention that I was getting. The smell that accompanied the combat gear didn't help with my mood. I was getting a wicked headache. I really didn't want to deal with Batman's questions at that point.

"Can you tell me anything else?" I questioned.

"At this point," he replied, "you know more than any of us."

"Oh." I looked down at the armor. "What do you want me to do with this stuff?"

"Whatever you wish," he replied curtly, turning on his heel and striding out of the room. "We will talk more when you are recovered."

Kal waited until he had passed into the control room and promptly made a beeline for the couch.

"Kaldur," Batman barked, his voice tight. "A word."

Casting a worried glance in my direction he changed course midstride and disappeared out of the room. I sighed. Whatever Tess had done, it had to have been bad.

_Cay, _Megan's voice echoed in my head, making me jump. _Are you done speaking with Batman?_

_Yeah_, I replied, throwing the armor back into the duffel and zipping it up, _you guys can come back in._

A few seconds later she floated through the door followed closely by the rest of the team.

Wally was the first to notice the bag as I dropped it on the floor.

"Did Bats bring you a Get Well Soon present?" he joked, scooping up the bag. "How sweet."

"Wally—" I warned, but it was too late.

He already had the breastplate in his hands and was staring down at it, a curious expression on his face. "Woah, not quite what I pictured."

Robin grabbed the duffel out of Wally's other hand and pulled out the arm guards. "Something Jack made?"

"I don't know," I mumbled, casting a worried glance at the door Kaldur had left through. "Batman said I was wearing it when they picked me up in Bialya."

Megan flopped down onto the couch next to me. "Did they jog your memory?"

I shook my head. "I have no idea what they are or how I got them."

"Well…" she trailed off. "I'm sure you'll remember eventually."

I smiled halfheartedly. "I hope so."

I spent the rest of the night with the team, waiting for Kal.

He never did come back from his chat with Batman. I waited up for him until Wally, Robin and Artemis all headed home and Superboy and Megan went back to their rooms. Alone on the couch I eventually fell asleep watching reruns of an old sitcom that Miss Spruce always watched when I was little.

* * *

I woke up to a series of odd metallic beeps and clicks. They stopped as I propped myself up and stared into the darkness. Someone had turned off the TV and as I reached for the remote a large spherical… something, rolled across the room whirring as it went.

I shouted something unintelligible as my gel spread up to my shoulders. The thing beeped again and I clapped my hands together, igniting the gel. A red light flashed and, fearing attack, I launched myself over the back of the couch. Hitting the floor I was in full smolder. The couch, not being as fireproof as I was, quickly went up in flames.

The sphere stopped short of the door and turned its circuitry to face me. It beeped again and flashed the red light again.

"Megan! Superboy!" I screamed hoarsely, heaving myself to my feet and staggering backwards.

Now, had it actually been that I was in mortal peril, Megan's reaction time was less than admirable. A shirtless Superboy had already burst through the wall beside the TV looking ready to kill someone by the time I finished screaming.

"Cay," he growled.

I motioned to the sphere, words eluding me as he, in all his shirtless glory, strode towards it. I managed a gurgle, trying to warn him to be careful.

"How did you get out of the garage?"

He knelt down next to the sphere as Megan flew into the room. "What is it Cay!"

I let the flames die down as I noticed that, thankfully, my clothes were still intact. "Um—" I pointed to Superboy crouched next to the sphere.

The lights flickered on.

"Oh," Megan said, her face flushing. She quickly looked away, her gaze falling on the couch.

"Would either of you care to tell me what that is?" I asked as it rolled out of the room.

Superboy shrugged. "Souvenir?"

"From Bialya?" I asked.

He nodded.

"It saved Superboy and I. Actually, it… sort of… it was… it helped," Megan finished lamely, still staring at the couch.

I sighed. "Well, it completely freaked me out. It just comes rolling in here, beeping and flashing its lights. I thought I was under attack."

"Yeah, it's sorry," Superboy said.

There was a far off beep of consent from the hallway.

Megan looked up from the couch to the wall. "Cay… what happened—"

"Oh, that was me," Superboy interrupted.

I grinned. "Yeah, that was really impressive."

"Impressive," Megan murmured, shooting a doe-eyed look at Superboy who failed to notice.

"Did you not think to use the door?" I asked.

"The closet is closer to the wall than the door."

Megan shot him a confused look. "So you just…"

"Broke down the wall," he supplied.

"Why were you in your closet?" I asked.

Superboy looked back to the wall. "Well, when I can't sleep on the bed I go and sleep in the closet."

"You sleep in your closet?" I asked, somewhat confused.

He nodded. "It's like my pod. The one I had before."

"Okay," I said, assuming he meant from the time he spent in Cadmus. "Well, thanks Superboy, had I actually been in trouble I would have been really appreciative of your wall bashing. And your closet sleeping, apparently."

"Uh, you're welcome."

"And if there had been trouble, had you not knocked down the wall I wouldn't have known Cay was in trouble," Megan added.

He smiled slightly. "You're welcome too."

Megan giggled.

"Well," I said, rolling my eyes as Megan ogled the ab-tastic Superboy one more time, "is anyone going to put out that couch?"

It had burned down to a crisp. Megan looked to me.

"Uh—"

I sighed and grabbed a blanket off the nearby chair. "I'm on it."

Megan edged closer to Superboy as I beat the flames out with the blanket. After a few moments the fire had died out. All that remained were the charred remains of the couch's frame.

I slung the blanket over my shoulder. "All is well in the Cave."

I couldn't help but notice Megan was still staring at the remains which were smoking slightly.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked.

She nodded, looking back to me and flashing a quick smile. "Um, yeah. Goodnight!"

I looked questioningly at Superboy. In typical male fashion he shrugged and walked back through the hole in the wall. Megan shot me one final reassuring smile and then floated back through the door to the kitchen.

I looked from the charred remains of the couch to the wall and sighed. Something had freaked Megan out. Maybe it was the fact that the Cave had almost burned down. I could see how that could be a little upsetting.

As I walked back towards my room a few more pieces of the wall crumbled to the ground. How would that conversation with Batman or Red Tornado go? I shook my ehad, trying to clear it. I had concerns that were far more pressing. The first and foremost being why Kaldur never came to my rescue without his shirt.

* * *

The pounding on my door in the morning was the last thing I wanted to hear. Still groggy, I swung my legs out of bed and hobbled to the door. My side was aching, but not in the same way it had before; less painful. It was more irritating than anything.

I swung the door open to a waiting Kaldur. Again, I wondered as to why he chose to come into the Cave wearing a shirt. I had to conclude that it was so no one would be jealous.

"The wall—" he began worriedly, motioning down the hallway.

"Is not the result of an attack on the Cave," I supplied helpfully. "Or me. Superboy did it."

He looked at me blankly. "And the couch?"

"Ditto, but that was more my fault than anything."

He stared at me, apparently at a loss for words. I slipped past him and made my way into the kitchen. He trailed silently behind me. Megan and Superboy were noticeably absent. But that could have been because it was ridiculously early.

"Would you like to know what happened?" I asked conversationally.

He shot me an unimpressed look. "Yes."

"I was sleeping on the couch and the sphere Superboy found in Bialya proceeded to wake me up and freak me out. I called Superboy and Megan for help. Then, I accidently set the couch on fire and Superboy broke down the wall," I supplied, opening the fridge and pawing through its contents.

"I think that perhaps the wall should be repaired before Black Canary arrives for training today," Kal said, casting a worried look towards the door leading out of the kitchen.

I grabbed the jug of orange juice and swung the fridge door shut. We were seriously low in the food department.

"Well, I thought that the sphere was a legitimate threat. I mean, I didn't mean for Superboy to burst through the wall. And he only did it because he thought there was trouble. I don't think Canary or Red Tornado would be angry about it." He looked unconvinced so I went on. "But, if you think we should fix it I guess I can go into Happy Harbor and get the stuff to do it. The Hardware Depot should be open in the next half hour."

"You have the skills to repair the wall?" Kal asked, clearly doubtful.

"Well," I laughed, " I do have a credit card. Plus… it'll be a fun outing."

Kal looked confused.

"Such a device contains knowledge of basic home repair?" he questioned.

I laughed. "No, it's to pay for the stuff we're going to have to buy."

He looked slightly embarrassed but ploughed on. "Are you certain that we will be capable of repairing it?"

"Kal, you're a superhero," I said flatly. "And I was raised by Miss Spruce. If we can't repair a busted wall we really should be attending Do-It-Yourself seminars at the Community Center instead of fighting crime."

It was his turn to laugh. "Where is this Hardware Depot?"

"It's just outside of Happy Harbor, I remember seeing it when we flew in to protect Dr. Roquette. It should take us five minutes at the most to get there if Megan reconfigures the bioship for us," I replied. "Why?"

"I will be ready to depart in five minutes," he replied, striding out of the room.

"Make that ten and I'll be good to go."

He paused and nodded, then continued out of the kitchen. Grinning, I sauntered back to my room to look for something to wear. Because even though it was only Hardware Depot, it was still an outing with Kaldur.

Luckily, everything was exactly where I had left it: all over the floor. Kicking clothes aside with my foot I rooted out a plain blue t-shirt and a pair of white denim shorts that looked relatively clean.

In my bathroom I peeled off my old clothes. I regarded myself in the mirror, deciding whether or not to remove the dressing that covered my side.

It looked clean, and it was still tight against my ribs. Whoever had wrapped it had done a good job and I pulled the t-shirt on, ignoring the twinge of pain as I raised my arms above my head. _What could it hurt __to leave it on one more day_, I thought. Leaving the bandage as it was I finished getting dressed.

Even if I was in pain, at least I would look good. Rushing out of the bathroom I began searching for my wallet. I couldn't quite remember where I had left it but I figured the pockets of the last jacket I had worn would be a good start. I was rewarded for my rational train of thought as my hand brushed against smooth leather. Pulling it out and flipping it open I drew out the credit card and slipped it into my pocket.

Tossing the wallet back onto my bed and making a mental note to put it away later I marched out of the room, ready to rendezvous with Kal.

* * *

"I still don't see why we need to fix the wall immediately. It was an accident," Megan said as Kal and I boarded the bioship a few minutes later.

I shrugged. "At least it gives us something to do, right?"

Megan smiled brightly. "Superboy and I will watch the home improvement show that's on before my cooking show. That should adequately prepare us to help you upon your return!"

She floated out of the bioship bay as Kal and I took our seats.

"You are sure that you feel up to this?" he asked, taking the controls.

I nodded. "I feel fine." It was a lie; but only a little one. I did feel fine, mostly. And the pain I did feel was nowhere near as bad as it had been the day before.

"So," I said, changing the subject, "we're going to need some drywall, stuff to put said drywall up with, and paint."

Kaldur nodded. "You have the knowledge to put up drywall?"

"Uh, not exactly," I replied. "But it can't be that hard. Miss Spruce and I had to remodel my bedroom because it got too small for all my stuff. She did most of the actual work but I sat on the bed and helped. We'll be fine! I remember it being really easy."

Kal looked unconvinced. "You are sure?"

I laughed. "No."

"This does not bode well," he said with a groan.

"It's home repair, not rocket science. We'll be fine."

With that the bioship began to descend. We had made it to the vast expanse of concrete that was the Hardware Depot. Kal landed the bioship out amongst the display sheds behind the garden center. Once the area was clear of civilians he dropped the ramp and we slipped out, before completely powering the ship down.

"Which way?" Kal asked, looking around, at a complete loss.

I pointed towards the automatic sliding doors that led into the greenhouse. "That's probably the fastest way in."

He nodded and off we went. The garden center housed a couple sad-looking houseplants, some shrubbery, and a vast collection of plastic and rubber hoses. As soon as we got into the actual store I knew I was in way over my head. The aisle that housed the drywall wasn't hard to find. But everything else was turning out to be far more difficult than I had anticipated.

First off, there were about five thousand different types of drywall; and they all looked the same. I stared at the product descriptions on the big, gaudy signs that hung above said drywall as Kal stood behind me expectantly.

I turned to tell him I had no idea what I was doing when a pimply-faced guy about my age appeared to my right.

"Hello and welcome to Hardware Depot. My name is Harold, can I help you with anything miss?" he asked, his voice nasally and punctuated by the occasional clearing of phlegm from his throat.

I muttered an eloquent, "Uh—" until Kal stepped in.

"We have a wall in need of repair," he said.

I nodded mutely.

"Well," said Harold, obviously put out by the fact he was dealing with someone of the same gender, "what exactly do you need done?"

"We need to patch a hole," I piped up.

He grinned and ran his hand through his greasy orange hair. "And how big is the patch going to need to be?"

"His height plus a couple inches," I said, pointing to Kal, "and about… six feet wide? What sort of drywall would you suggest?"

Harold puffed out his chest and began listing off the features of the store's top brand of drywall. He began walking down the aisle, intent on clinching the sale and probably hoping for a phone number. I trudged after him, willing him to shut up and just tell me what I needed. Kal followed, it was hard to tell what he was thinking. He looked stoic. And fabulous.

"Now, how did you manage to make such a big hole in your wall?" Harold asked, pausing by a display of something called 'hot mud'. To me, it sounded like a beauty treatment.

"Uh… my dog ran through it chasing…" I paused. "A burglar."

Kal looked at me in disbelief. I smiled and winked at him, knowing that Harold would buy any story I could concoct.

"That's terrible, was your dog okay?" Harold gushed, heaving a pails of the hot mud off the stand and staggering over to a waiting cart. He dropped it with a thud and then leaned against the cart looking pleased.

"Now," he continued, "directions are on the outside. Follow them and you'll be fine. You're going to need two more pails of this. Just let me call over one of my—"

"No need," Kal interrupted, stepping forward and picking up a pail in each hand like they weighed nothing.

Harold shot a venomous look at his back as he deposited them on the cart. I stifled a giggle.

"You're also going to need four sheets of the drywall on the far right," Harold said stiffly, motioning down the aisle. "But I can—"

He stopped talking as Kal strode down the aisle to pick up the drywall. Biting my lip and trying my hardest not to laugh I went over to the cart.

"Is there anything else we'll need?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady.

Harold, realizing he had somehow gotten rid of his competition, nodded enthusiastically. "You'll need primer, paint, brushes, drywall tape, drywall saws, drywall sanders, four by fours; just come with me and I can get all the stuff you need."

"Which aisle is that in?" I asked, peering down the aisle willing Kal to return. Much to my relief he and four pieces of drywall were making their way towards us.

Noticing Kal's imminent return Harold shot a desperate look down the aisle that led back out to the garden center. "Aisle thirteen, uh, but I can get it all for you."

By then, Kal had returned and was stacking drywall across the length of the cart. Harold looked more than a little put out.

"You didn't have any trouble getting it down?" he asked Kal, motioning to the drywall.

Kal shook his head. "Despite the height they were stored at, I had no problems. They are quite lightweight."

Harold's face went red and he turned on his heel to march off down the aisle. "This way, I'll get you the rest of the stuff."

I grabbed the cart and pushed it after him as Kal fell into step beside me.

"I cannot help but sense that he harbors some sort of animosity towards me," he said quietly. "I do not understand why."

I couldn't help myself; I burst out laughing. Harold looked back at me over his shoulder, but kept on towards aisle thirteen. Kal looked confused, not for the first time that day.

"What?" he asked.

"It's not that he doesn't like you," I whispered once I had got myself back under control. "It's…" I trailed off as Harold stopped dead in front of us.

"Here we are," he said. "You'll find drywall saws, and sanders on your immediate right. All painting supplies are in aisle twenty eight. Four by fours are at the end of this aisle on the right."

"Thank you Harold," I said with a smile.

Offering me a reedy smile of his own he followed Kal and I down the aisle. I searched for the drywall saws and sanders that we apparently needed as he tried to strike up a conversation with me. Kaldur was pointedly ignored.

"So, did the police catch the guy that robbed your place?" Harold asked.

I paused before remembering what I had said earlier. I shook my head. "They never did," I said solemnly.

"And your dog was okay?"

I nodded earnestly. "He's a… big dog."

"I have a dog," he said quickly. "Big too. He's a labradoodledachshund."

I tossed two drywall saws into the cart and proceeded to look for the sanders. "Cool."

Harold, once again, ran his fingers through his hair. It did little to tame the unkempt mop of orange that decorated his scalp. "You walk your dog a lot? Because, you know, I'm always looking for someone to walk my dog with…"

"Oh, that would be really great Harold, but my mom does most of the dog walking," I said quickly. "Thanks for the offer though."

Undeterred, he ploughed on. "Oh well, then maybe you'd be up for getting coffee—"

"Excuse me, Harold," Kal interrupted. "Could you explain the function of this tool?" He held up a pair of pliers. Again, I found myself suppressing a laugh.

"Needle nosed pliers," Harold answered, looking particularly venomous. "You don't need 'em to repair a wall."

Kal picked up a case of something. "And this?"

"Drill bits," came the short reply.

"Cay, you have all that we will need?" Kal asked, turning to me, his face blank.

I grinned. Intentional or not, Kal had timed his interruption perfectly. "I think so. All we need are the painting things. And those are in aisle thirty six right, Harold?"

"Aisle twenty eight," he replied glumly.

"Thanks Harold!" I said, dropping the sanders into the cart.

He looked desperately around the aisle. "Oh wait, there's—"

"Harold!" a big bald man hollered as he came stomping down the aisle. "Where have you been?"

Harold looked at the floor and muttered about helping a customer.

"I need you on cash," the man snapped.

Harold nodded and trudged off down the aisle, shooting Kal one last rueful glance. The bald man followed after him, ignoring Kal and I completely.

"Well," I sighed, "that was… helpful."

"He did not like me," Kaldur said, frowning.

I laughed. "Don't let it bother you. Let's go get the painting stuff."

"Then he wanted to walk dogs with you," he muttered as I pushed the cart past him. "And get coffee."

"Kal, I would sooner walk dogs and get coffee with you than Harold," I said as we walked to the painting supplies aisle.

He smiled and fell into step beside me. "Is coffee sold in Metropolis? We could share coffee."

"I think that would be great."

His smile faded as we approached the painting aisle. "But I still do not understand why Harold was so…"

"Crazy?" I supplied. "It's because Harold is jealous of you."

Kal looked confused. "Why would he be jealous?"

My face was growing hot. "It's because you were with me. He was trying his best to get me to notice him. It's kind of hard for any guy to look impressive when you're around, Kal."

He stayed silent for a moment. Apparently mulling over what I had said. I pushed the cart, willing the color in my cheeks away.

"You believe me to be impressive?"

I couldn't believe that he had taken that from all that I had just said. Forget that there was a guy trying to hit on me. I thought he was impressive. And that's what was important.

"Among other things yes, I do."

Looking smug he nodded to himself as we stopped in the painting aisle. I began plucking rollers and brushes off the wall. Moving down the aisle, looking for primer and paint I tried to keep myself from looking back at him. Ponderous Kaldur was almost as attractive as shirtless Kaldur.

"Do you need any help?" he asked.

I hadn't heard him follow me down the aisle but I pointed to a can on the third shelf up.

"Can you get two four by fours and I'll get the paint."

A few minutes later I had hefted the paint down from its shelf and into the cart. Kal came back down the aisle, four by fours under his arm.

"This is all we need?" he asked, placing the planks on the cart I had pushed down the aisle.

I nodded and dropped the cans I was holding in as well. "Yup, let's get back and start our adventures in home repair."

Looking down at the supplies we had assembled, Kal sighed. I found his lack of faith disturbing.

* * *

"That'll be $163.43, miss," the cashier said in a bored tone.

I nodded, wondering how some planks of wood and drywall could cost so much, and whipped out the credit card Miss Spruce had given me. I had never used it before and I thought then was as good a time as any.

I swiped the card, the transaction went through and Kal and I were on our way.

Hah, are things ever that easy? We made it out to the shed displays, taking the longer route around the outside of the store. Kal, pushing our cart laden with drywall, paused as we approached the sheds.

"What?" I said, stopping beside him.

Wordlessly he pointed to the shed by which we had parked the bioship. Harold, and an equally pimply fellow employee were eating their lunch, sitting out front of the shed.

I groaned. "Oh no."

"We will not be able to load the bioship with the two of them in such close proximity," Kaldur said, watching the two of them intently.

I looked at the cart, then at Kal. "I have an idea."

He nodded. "Go on."

"You have to hide."

"What is your idea?" he asked, intrigued.

"Just…" I paused. "Stay here, and whatever you do, don't let them see you."

"Is this because I am, as you say, too impressive?"

My cheeks flushed. "Yes." I walked away as he pushed the cart behind a nearby shed with a chuckle.

Putting a bounce in my step I approached Harold and his friend. Looking up from their brown bagged lunches they exchanged incredulous glances.

"Hi Harold," I said, trying to seem bubbly and genuinely happy to see him. "Who's your friend?"

"Ralph," the other boy said immediately, staring at me like I had two heads.

"Look, I uh…" I paused. What to say? I just wasn't a good liar. I never had been. "I need some help."

"Can't you get your boyfriend to help you?" Harold said in a bored tone.

"Boyfriend?" I laughed. "Who, Kal? No, no, he's not my type at all. He's just a friend, gave me a ride here to pick up supplies. I mean he's all muscled… I just don't go for that."

Harold stared at me, obviously in shock. Or maybe it was utter disbelief. Had my lie really been that bad? Did I look like a girl that would pursue muscled guys?

"Not your type," he repeated dumbly.

"Hm?" I asked, pretending like I didn't hear. "Anyway, can you help me out?"

Ralph shot me a suspicious look. "We're on our lunch break."

"But that doesn't mean we can't help you," Harold said immediately. "What do you need? We're back on the clock soon anyway."

I racked my brain for a way to get them away from the bioship. The silence between us was stretching and Ralph still looked suspicious.

"I feel really stupid for asking this, but could you show me where the paint is again?" I asked with a giggle. "As we were leaving my Mom phoned and reminded me that we were painting my room this weekend and I was supposed to get paint. But I don't remember which aisle it was in. And to tell you the truth, I fell down the stairs yesterday and walking around the store searching for paint is not really something I feel like doing."

"That's terrible! How'd it happen?" Harold gushed.

I smiled slightly to hide my dismay. Why had I said that? I was going to end up going back into the store with them. Crap.

"Oh, you know, not paying attention and I tripped over a laundry basket," I replied. "I am such a klutz."

"Okay, well come with us," Harold said, balling up the remains of his lunch. "We'll get you all the paint you need."

Ralph shot Harold a disgruntled look before swallowing the last bite of sandwich he held in his hand. "Fine."

"Thanks guys," I said as we began walking towards the garden center entrance. "You're a huge help."

Casting a look over my shoulder I saw Kal emerge from behind the sheds.

"One sec guys." I turned and jogged back to Kal.

"Cay, where are you going?"

"Back into the store," I grumbled. "Harold and Ralph are showing me where the paint is."

"Did we not acquire enough paint?" he asked.

"We did," I continued, "but I couldn't think of a way to send them off without asking for help with something,"

Kaldur nodded. "I will load the supplies into the bioship. When you have acquired the paint I will be waiting."

I smiled and turned back to Harold and Ralph.

"Coming!" I cried, dragging my heels as I walked back to them.

"What'd he want?" Harold asked, nodding his head in Kal's direction.

I shrugged and fell into step beside him and Ralph. "He needed the car keys."

"Can I ask you something?" he queried as we walked through the automatic doors.

I nodded. "Sure."

"Um, what's your name?"

* * *

Harold, Ralph and I were standing in the paint supplies aisle in a matter of minutes. For that, I was thankful. If Harold asked me one more pointless question I was going to scream.

"So, here we are Cay," drawled Ralph, leaning up against the shelving. "Paint aisle."

"What do you need?" Harold asked enthusiastically. "Primer? Paint? Any color in particular?"

"Paint and primer please," I replied. "I'm going to go pick out a color, okay?" Anything to get away from them.

"Okay, we'll meet you over there," came the enthusiastic response.

I was beginning to think I should have told him Kaldur was my boyfriend. He was, right? I would have liked to think so. But since we hadn't actually gone on a date I didn't think I really had any claim to him.

I stood in front of the wall of paint chips staring blankly at the section that housed the blue samples. Would Kal and I even be able to have a functional relationship if we were on the team together? He was leader and I was… well, I still hadn't quite decided what I was. Hero wasn't quite the word I was looking for. I really liked him and he liked me, but how much did we really know about one another?

But maybe I was over thinking things.

"Hey, we got your paint," panted Harold, startling me out of my reverie. "Have you decided on your color?"

I plucked a chip off the wall that caught my eye and turned towards him. "Sure did."

He took it from my outstretched hand and handed it to Ralph. "Can you mix these up for Cay, Ralph?"

Ralph shot him a disgruntled look but trudged over to what I assumed was the station where they mixed the paint.

"This'll only take a minute," he grunted.

I leaned up against the paint chip display as Harold settled against the mixing station.

"So…" he trailed his eyes leaving my face to stare down the aisle beside me.

"Harold?" I asked.

He made an unintelligible noise as he looked back to me, still unable to speak.

"Cay?"

"Kal!" I exclaimed, turning around recognizing his voice.

He rounded the corner of the aisle looking relatively relieved. "I wonder what was taking you so long. We are expected back."

I nodded and motioned to Harold. "Harold and Ralph have found me the paint. Ralph's just mixing it up."

"That is good," he replied.

Harold looked moodily across the aisle at Kaldur. "Yeah, we thought you were waiting out in the car."

Kaldur stared blankly back. He recovered quickly though and flashed me Harold a smile. "I was, but I realized Cay would need help carrying the paint that we had forgotten out to where I was waiting."

"Thanks Kal," I said as Ralph plunked down the paint on the desk of the station. "And thanks again Harold, Ralph, we'll see you around."

The two of them exchanged looks and then glanced back at me. Kaldur retrieved the three paint cans, stacking them one on top of each other. As we walked away, I waved. Harold half-heartedly waved back. I sighed and continued after Kaldur.

* * *

"Cay, what is the matter?"

I looked up from the blank screen of my cell phone.

"My phone died," I lied, flipping it shut and stashing it in my pocket. "No big deal."

Kal shot me a sidelong glance. "I cannot help but think that is not the only thing on your mind."

"It's—" I began, shaking my head.

I let it fall flat when I saw how he was looking at me. He was genuinely worried. The lines creasing his forehead, the downturned line of his mouth, I had seen him look like that before.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked.

He looked at me quizzically. "We are going to repair the damage to the Cave before Black Canary arrives for training."

I bit the inside of my lip. Not quite what I had meant. "What are we going to do about," I gestured vaguely to myself and then to him, "us?"

Kaldur remained silent, eyes fixed straight ahead.

"You are concerned about the team."

"Well, kind of, but more so…" I trailed off trying to gather my thoughts. "The team dynamic. You're team leader and you've got the whole hero thing together and you're from Atlantis." _And you're really attractive_, I added silently. "And then I'm — well, I haven't quite got it together. And I'm not much of a hero. I'm just… average."

"Cay, you are on the team for a reason. The League would not have chosen someone 'average'." He turned in his seat to face me. "With no training, no mentor, you joined the team. And you hold your own. You are no less a hero than I."

I stared back at him, at a loss for words. He was so earnest. So sweet.

"And as for the team," he continued, giving a small shrug, "I do not foresee any difficulties with them."

Still incapable of forming coherent sentences I smiled at him. "Thanks, Kal."

He shook his head. "You have nothing to thank me for."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure I still owe you for saving me when Tess threw me off that boat," I reminded.

Shooting me a sidelong glance he sighed. "Megan and the team informed me what you did in Bialya. I believe we are now even."

I shook my head. "You saved me in Bialya from a group of soldiers. So when you passed out I did the only thing I could."

"Cay, I could have died in that desert," he said. "You saved me."

"Well when you put it like that," I replied, mulling it over. "You're just going to have to take me out for lunch. Tomorrow. Because you are totally in my debt."

He laughed as the ship banked left. "You will be at school, will you not?"

"Then after?" I pressed.

"After," he agreed.

I grinned at him. He smiled at me.

I glanced out of the bioship, tearing my gaze away from him. Mount Justice was looming in front of us and as we began to descend I couldn't have been happier.

* * *

The rest of the team, minus Robin, was waiting for us in the bioship bay. Once we had landed Kal and Superboy began unloading all the repair supplies.

"Wow, did you guys get enough stuff?" Wally asked as Superboy deposited the paint cans in front of him.

"Did you see the size of the hole in the wall?" Artemis asked in response.

Wally rolled his eyes. "Still, why do we need six cans of paint?"

"It does seem like a lot of paint," Megan agreed.

"Oh, some of those are for my room," I replied offhandedly as Superboy staggered down the ramp, his arms full of drywall. "Superboy do you want some help?"

"No," he grunted, walking out the bioship bay door. "I'm fine."

"You're painting your room?" Wally asked. "You need some help?"

Artemis elbowed him in the side as Kaldur descended the ramp with the bags of sanders. "As if Cay would need help from a block-head like you."

"I don't know, you don't need high intelligence to paint a wall," I said teasingly. "Wally would be fine."

"Ca-ay," he complained.

"Cay, would I be able to help paint your room?" Megan asked excitedly.

"Um, sure," I replied. "We have enough paint brushes."

"Great!" she cried, the paint cans levitating in front of her. "Let's go repair the wall and then paint Cay's room!"

"Megan, I don't know if we'll get to all of that today," I called after her as she disappeared out the door.

"I don't think she heard you," Artemis said.

"Strange, I was just thinking the same thing."

"Megalicious, wait up! Let me help you with that paint!" Wally called, sauntering out of the room after her. Artemis and I exchanged looks.

"She doesn't need any help. She can move it with her mind!" she grumbled.

I laughed. "It's the thought that counts." I looked back to Kal who was coming down the ramp with the drywall mud in one hand and the wooden four by fours in the other. "Kal you need any help?"

He shook his head. "Everything has been unloaded from the ship. We are ready to begin."

I nodded and handed Artemis one of the bags of sanders that were resting at my feet. "Then let's get to it."

* * *

Standing in front of the hole the task seemed a lot more daunting than it had that morning.

"What do we do first?" Superboy asked, eyes scanning the mountain of supplies.

"We, uh—" I was interrupted by the computer's announcement of Robin's arrival.

"Perfect," Wally said, "Rob has plenty of useless knowledge. He'll be a big help."

A few seconds later Robin appeared in the far doorway. "Hey guys – whoa." He cast a glance around the room, his eyes resting on the monstrous hole in the wall. "What happened?"

"Long story short," Artemis said. "Superboy."

"Well, of course," Robin laughed. "No, really, what happened?"

"Last night I was sleeping on the couch and in the middle of the night Superboy's sphere just appeared out of nowhere. I thought it was going to kill me. I freaked out. I called for help. Superboy burst through the wall. And that was the end of the wall," I finished.

"And, the couch?" he asked, pointing to the charred remains of the couch.

"Ah, yeah, that was me," I said. "You know how I have that tendency to ignite?"

Robin nodded. "Which reminds me, I updated the recognition software on the transporter. Ignis is now recognized."

I laughed. "Thanks, I forgot about that."

"Aw, I thought we decided on Kid Flame!" Wally protested.

"Are you for real?" Artemis asked. "Who on earth would call themselves that?"

"Well, what's wrong with it?" he said, crossing his arms. "The 'kid' part or the 'flame' part?"

"Okay!" I interrupted. "Robin, now that you know the circumstances, do you want to help us fix the wall?"

He grinned. "I'm on it."

Sitting down on one of the chairs he began tapping away on his wrist computer. "Okay, here we go."

* * *

Considering that we had almost no idea what we were doing the wall turned out relatively well. Harold had given us all the right stuff, except for a drill which Wally ran home and retrieved from his father's toolbox, and in the end it took us only five episodes of _The Eligible Dude_ which Megan insisted we watch to, "pass the time".

By the end I had decided that the aforementioned eligible dude was a terrible match for all of his potential brides. Really, the only person who was a perfect match for him was himself.

After the fifth and final episode, where two sobbing women got into an estrogen-fueled fistfight, Artemis decided to put an end to the insanity and changed the channel.

"Now that we're finished," she said, motioning to the wall, "we can watch something good."

Megan looked a little put out but immediately brightened when Artemis changed it to a talk show where the host was cooking pancakes, or something.

"Well," said Robin, dusting his hands off on his pants, "now that we're done why don't we get some ice cream."

"There's some in the freezer," Megan said distractedly, her eyes fixed on the TV screen.

Wally followed Robin out of the room as Artemis tossed Megan the remote.

"It's all yours, I'm out," she said.

I lowered myself down onto the chair closest to the wall. "Aren't we training with Canary today?"

"Hello Megan!" Megan cried, turning to me, "I forgot to tell you. Canary contacted us right after you and Kaldur left. Something came up and she won't be training us today."

"So we rushed to fix the wall only to have the afternoon free?" I asked.

Megan nodded. "We do. Which reminds me, have you given any more thought about school?"

I nodded. "Yes, and I've decided that it would be easier to go to school in Happy Harbor."

"That's great!" she exclaimed. "We'll have so much fun!"

"Yeah," I replied, with a little less enthusiasm, "but I have to get my transcript from my old school. And I think I'll have to take it into the high school today to choose my classes."

"Well, you have fun with that Cay," Artemis said with a small wave. "I'm off."

"Okay, we'll see you later," I replied as she walked out of the room.

"Bye!" called Megan.

As Artemis disappeared out the door my cell phone began to ring. Not bothering to look at the caller ID I flipped it open.

"Hi Jack."

There was a pause. "How did you know it was me?"

I laughed. "You're the only person who ever calls me."

"Oh, well," he chuckled, "when you put it like that…"

"So, what's up Jack?" I asked.

"I just wanted to see how you are after… what happened."

I shifted in my chair. I could tell Kal was watching me out of the corner of his eye, Megan too.

"I'm pretty good," I said. "Actually, do you want to meet me today in Metropolis? I have to go pick up a transcript from my high school."

"So you can enroll in Happy Harbor?" he asked.

I couldn't help but notice the hint of unhappiness in his voice. "Well, yeah, that was the plan. Why?"

He sighed. "Nothing. So, do you want me to come pick you up?"

"Nah, I think I can use the transporter. I'll ask Robin."

"Ask me what?" he asked, walking into the room balancing three bowls of ice cream.

"One minute Jack," I said, lowering the phone from my ear. "Can I use the transporter to get to Metropolis?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Jack?" I raised the phone back up to my ear.

"Yes?"

"Once I'm in Metropolis I'll call you and let you know where I am, ok?"

"Alright, Cay. I'll see you soon."

"Yup, bye."

I slipped my phone back into my pocket. Robin looked down at his ice cream.

"So," Wally said, eyeing the extra bowl in Robin's hand, "does this mean you don't want your ice cream?"

"Go wild," I laughed as he snatched it from Robin's grasp.

"C'mon," Robin said, placing his bowl on the arm of his chair.

Kal got up and followed us wordlessly. Wally was quick to snatch up his unattended bowl.

Robin walked out of the room ahead of us.

"You are meeting Jack?" Kal asked as we exited the TV room.

I nodded. "He'll take me to my old high school to get everything I need to transfer to Happy Harbor."

He nodded. "You will return today?"

I smiled slightly. "Yeah."

"All set," Robin said, striding back towards the TV room as Kal and I stopped in front of the transporter.

I was impressed. "That fast?"

Robin shrugged and grinned smugly. "Actually, it took longer than I thought it would."

"Well, regardless, thanks… so, I just walk through?" I asked, eyeing the transporter uneasily.

"Yep," he replied. "Now, I need to go and rescue my ice cream before Wally gets to it."

He jogged out the door with a wave in my direction. "See ya Cay."

"Bye."

"Alright," I said, taking a deep breath. "Here I go."

"I will be gone upon your return," Kal said. "I will see you tomorrow."

"Yes," I said, smiling. "Bye, Kal."

"Goodbye," he smiled, "Cay."

I stepped into the transporter and he disappeared from my view.

The next thing I knew I was standing in a phone booth in a trash filled alley. I pushed open the door and made my way out to the sidewalk. Just down the street was the Daily Planet's headquarters. It was good to see something familiar. I flipped open my phone and called Jack.

"Hey, Jack," I greeted.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"Near the Daily Planet," I replied. "I'll be waiting across the street from it, okay?"

I could hear the door of his apartment slamming shut. "Okay. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Alright."

The sound of the elevator doors sliding open. "See you soon."

I shut my phone and began walking down the street.

There was nothing particularly exciting going on. A few cars whizzed by, the garbage in the gutters blowing up onto the sidewalk and around my feet. I had missed the city and its sanitation problems. I settled onto a bench as pigeons pecked at a small square of grass beside it.

Across the street reporters and the like came and went through the Planet's main entrance. I watched them disinterestedly until Jack's grey sports car came roaring down the street. The pigeons scattered and the people across the street paused, looking in our direction. I put my head down and pulled open the door.

I jumped into the front seat and shut the door behind me.

"Hey Jack," I said, pulling the seat belt down and clicking it into place.

He began to pull away from the curb his mouth set in a thin, angry line.

"Cay…" He paused before almost bursting into tears. "I was so worried! I called you last night and then you hung up! What was that? I had to call Amy and then she told me I was an idiot and that you were probably fine. You are fine right? Right? Tell me you're okay and the League just over reacted to the fact you disappeared for almost seven hours!" he cried.

I sat in stunned silence. "Jack, I'm okay," I replied. "No need to freak out."

"Who said I was freaking out?" he asked, adjusting his glasses. "I am the picture of calm, cool, collected-ness."

"Of course you are," I said smiling slightly. "And I'm totally fine. Other than being a little sore yesterday I'm feeling pretty good. I'm going to take the bandages off tomorrow before school."

"Bandages?" he shrieked, the car swerving dangerously towards the curb as he turned to me.

"Eyes on the road!" I yelped.

"Right!" He corrected our course and took a deep breath. "But in all seriousness, are you alright?"

I nodded. "I'm fine. No need to worry. I don't think anything happened."

He looked back out the windshield, his jaw set angrily. "The League wasn't very forthcoming with information about you."

"Well, to be fair, they had no idea what was going on."

"But that's not why I wanted to pick you up," he continued, ignoring my comment. "I have something for you."

I looked over at him. "What?"

He nodded towards the backseat. "It's in the manila envelope."

* * *

**A/N: **OMG WHO WATCHED THE NEW YOUNG JUSTICE EPISODE THAT AIRED TODAY? Actually, it was yesterday BUT STILL. MY INSIDES KIND OF MELTED. It was amazing. And now we can all look forward to more Young Justice. I have so many feelings – words cannot convey them.

But, on a more sane note, the chapter it is le done! And it's long! Awesome. So, I hope you guys enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing it. And I am working on the Targets chapter starting tomorrow. After I do homework for school. Which is obviously less important but it kind of counts for 10% of my final grade so… I guess it kind of needs to get done and handed in. Damn.

Anyway, enjoy.


	13. Foreign

I snatched the manila envelope off the backseat and tore it open, Jack watching me out of the corner of his eye.

"You didn't open it?" I questioned, jamming my hand into the envelope and groping around for its contents.

My hand closed around a small plastic object as he shook his head. "Of course not. It was for you."

I drew out a flash drive as he pulled into the parking lot of my high school.

"Great," I grumbled, turning the drive over in my hands, "just what I needed."

Jack pulled into a parking space and cut the engine. "Well, what were you expecting?"

I peered into the envelope to make sure I hadn't missed anything. "Maybe a letter detailing how much she misses me and when she's coming home."

"Because that's what every good spy would do," Jack laughed. "I'm sure there's some super secret video message for you on that jump drive. Oh, and I'll bet it'll self destruct after you watch it too!"

I looked down at it again. "I feel like you're making fun of me," I said with a small smile. "But I would really like to know where Miss Spruce went…"

Jack threw open his door and pulled a pair of aviator sunglasses out of his jacket pocket. "Don't worry about it, kid. She'll be back as soon as she can."

I sighed and opened the passenger door. Stepping out onto the pavement I was struck by how rundown my high school was. Compared to what I had seen of Happy Harbor High, Metropolis really needed to step up its game.

Jack appeared beside me as I swung the door shut. "So, ready?"

I slipped the drive into my pocket and nodded. "Let's do this."

* * *

"Miss Tare you're going to have to give a reason for transferring than," the secretary said patiently.

I looked down at the transcript in front of me. "I, uh, moved to Rhode Island."

"After the unfortunate death of her father Cay is living with me now. Jackson Miller," Jack interrupted smoothly, flashing the secretary a dazzling smile. "I live in Rhode Island, hence why she needs the transfer."

"Oh," the secretary chuckled, beaming up at Jack, "well then that's all the reason you need, Miss Tare."

"Thanks," I muttered scribbling madly away at the transfer form.

"And is there anything else you'll need?" she asked. "Either of you?"

I shot Jack a sidelong glance as he laughed.

"No, thanks," I said, gathering up all my papers.

"Have a good day," Jack said I made a bee line for the door.

"You too, Mr. Miller," the secretary replied, rather flustered.

"Dr. Miller, actually," he corrected, rather proudly. "You have a good day."

The door slammed shut behind us as we left the office.

"That was fun," Jack commented, sauntering down the hallway, hands in his pockets. "Now where are we off to?"

"Well, do you want to drive me back down to Happy Harbor?"

He held open the door to the parking lot for me. "Will we have time to get dinner after?"

I shrugged as I walked past him. "I don't see why not."

Grinning, he followed after me. "Know any good Italian places in town? I'm in the mood for some pasta!"

* * *

The rest of the day went by too fast for my liking. I made it to Happy Harbor High in time to get everything straightened out. Jack did his best not to flirt with the secretary. Who was in fact a man so I'm sure it made it easier for him to restrain himself. I chose my courses, signed a bunch of papers that said I wouldn't destroy things during the school year, and then was given a bunch of pointless calendars that detailed the events of the upcoming semester.

Leaving the office Jack promptly tossed them in the recycling.

"You don't need these right?" he asked, mid-toss.

I shook my head and held up my course schedule. "I'm good with this."

"Aw, but Cay," he said, glancing down at the last paper in his hand, "don't you want to be part of the Bumblebees?"

"Excuse me?"

"The cheerleading squad. They're having try-outs on the first day of school."

I looked at him incredulously. "I never thought you would be one to encourage me to try out for the cheerleading squad. Shouldn't you be pushing me to join the chemistry club or something?"

Jack shot me an equally incredulous look. "Do I look like the type to join the chemistry club?"

I looked him up and down. "Yes you do, Dr. Miller."

"Just because I have a doctorate doesn't mean I'm a nerd!" he protested as we walked out into the parking lot. "I'm one of the cool people with a PhD. C'mon, how many scientists do you know that can design clothes that are both stylish and fireproof to the point where they could be thrown into a small star and come out looking crisp and fresh?"

I grinned. "You are so superior to any other father figure I could possibly have."

Leaning against his car, he winked. "You still want to get something to eat?"

* * *

Just over three hours later I was back at the Cave. I could hear the TV blaring sappy music as I walked down the hallway to the kitchen and TV room.

"Cay!" Megan cried, appearing in the kitchen doorway. "Superboy, pause the movie! How did your day go?"

"It was good," I laughed, walking past her I dropped my bag of leftovers on the counter. "I got myself transferred to Happy Harbor High and Jack took me out for dinner."

"That's great! I'm so happy you'll be coming to school with Superboy and I!" Megan gushed, floating next to me. "We were just watching _The Empress of Brititanic_. Would you like to watch the end with us?"

"Is that the one about the ship in the thirties?"

"Yes, with Iris and Jackson," she said dreamily. "It's so romantic."

I grinned. "Okay."

"Cay."

I looked over to the doorway into the TV room. "Kaldur."

"You have returned," he said happily.

"Yeah," I sighed, smiling. I had never believed it but absence makes the heart grow fonder. And makes the hot boy look even hotter. "I didn't think you were sticking around."

Kal smiled slightly. "Things did not work out as I had planned."

"Then you'll stay and watch the moviewith us?" Megan asked, rummaging around in the cupboard and finally pulling out a tin of cookies.

"I will," he replied.

"Wonderful!" Megan cried, flying out of the room. "Come, I can't wait to see what happens!"

"Could it be, the ship sinks?" I asked with a laugh.

"Do you think?" she said, pausing in the doorway. "I hope not!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The next morning there was a pounding at my door. I rolled over, glancing at the alarm clock on my bedside table. It read thirteen minutes after six.

"Who is it?" I growled, burying my head in my pillow. I had stayed up late watching Megan's horrendous choice of movie. She had loved it and I had loved sitting with Kaldur. So really, it hadn't been that bad.

From outside my door I heard a nervous laugh. "It's Megan."

"Come in."

The door opened and light flooded in from the hallway. Megan floated in and landed on the end of my bed.

"Good morning," she sang.

I cracked open one eye and turned to look at her. "It's very early Megan."

"But today we start school," she said, as if it explained everything.

I groaned inwardly and dropped my head back onto my pillow. "Should I be excited?"

"Of course!" She shifted on the end of the bed. "Well… since you're awake I was wondering if you wanted to help me make lunches."

I rolled over onto my back and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "And by that you mean, 'Cay come help me now', right?"

"Well," she giggled, "you can get ready first. I still have to decide how I'm going to do my hair."

I rolled out of bed and trudged towards the bathroom. "I'll be out in ten minutes."

"Alright!" she cried, soaring out of the room. "I'll meet you in the kitchen."

"Okay," I replied, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind me.

Staring into the mirror I sighed. My hair still looked pretty good so I just wet my hairbrush and ran it through. When I was finished with that I slipped out of the bathroom and began rummaging through my clothes to find something to wear. I grabbed a black jacket, green tank top, and light wash denim shorts. Last but not least, I fished a pair of sneakers out from under my bed.

Back in the bathroom I dumped the clothes on the floor and stripped of my pajamas. Glancing in the mirror, I paused. I had to take off the gauze that was wrapped around my ribs. Gingerly I took a hold of the tape and slowly began pulling it away from the fluffy wrapping underneath. As the tape came undone the gauze and compression pad fell away. I had three circular scars about halfway down my side. They were still fresh; the centers looked a ghastly mixture of purple and red.

Running my fingers over them they were tender, but not painful. I took a deep breath, relishing the feeling of no longer having my ribs restricted. But I didn't remember how had I gotten hurt in the first place? It was troubling, and it as something that would bug me or a long time. But I had things to do.

I wriggled into my jeans and shirt, and shrugged on the jacket. With a final glance in the mirror I grabbed the wrappings, which were strangely devoid of any blood, and tossed them in my garbage pail.

My bedside clock read almost half past as I sat on the bed and pulled on my shoes. Beside the clock was the USB stick that Jack had given me the night before. I stared at it as I mechanically laced up my shoes. I had wanted to open it last night but I hadn't had any time by myself. Plus, I had kind of forgotten about it until after Kal left. I grabbed it off the table and slipped it into my pocket. Making a mental note to open it later on I made my way down to the kitchen.

"Megan?"

She popped her head out of the doorway. "Here!"

I walked down to meet her. The kitchen was in a state of extreme disarray.

"Oh my goodness, what happened?" I asked.

Megan laughed. "I started making our lunches." She looked me up and down. "I like your outfit."

"Thanks," I said, "but… aren't you going to change?"

She nodded. "Of course! But not right now. It's a surprise."

"Okay. Well, what are we making?" I asked, the collection of pickles, mustard, waffles, peanut butter, ketchup, and butter on the counter led me to believe lunch would be very interesting and highly inedible.

"I haven't decided yet. I was hoping maybe you could tell me what you always took for lunch. I mean, I'd like for all of us to have normal Earth food."

"Well, Miss Spruce usually packed me a sandwich, a drink and some snacks," I said, picking up the ketchup and mustard. "These can go back in the fridge."

Megan nodded. "I was thinking jam. That's a staple of Earth lunches right?"

I laughed. "Sure. Let's go with that. Simple and tasty."

Grabbing the bread off the counter Megan dropped it next to the butter and jam.

"Have you seen Superboy this morning?" I asked, realizing that Megan and I weren't alone in our imminent scholastic adventures.

"He was in the garage when I went to ask him what he wanted for lunch," she replied.

"And he said?"

Megan shrugged. "Not a whole lot. He was fixing his motorcycle."

We lapsed into silence as I smeared jam onto three slices of bread and she slopped butter onto their counterparts.

"What's school like, Cay?"

I looked up and shrugged. "Well, it can be fun or it can be mind numbingly boring. It really depends on how you look at it. I think school this year will be fun. My extracurricular activities are a lot more exciting than they've ever been."

Megan laughed. "Can I ask you something else?"

I nodded.

"Have you ever been on the cheerleading squad?"

"No."

I spent the rest of the morning trying to convince Megan that I wasn't cheerleading material.

* * *

"But Cay, you'd be perfect!" Megan said, sitting on the edge of the counter as I dropped the last sandwich into a brown bag.

"Perfect for what?"

"Morning Kaldur!" Megan said, waving at him over my shoulder.

"Morning," I said, turning around to face him. "And apparently I should take up cheerleading."

Megan jumped off the counter and nodded enthusiastically. "Don't you think Cay would be perfect?"

Kal cleared his throat and found something interesting on the floor to look at. I don't think he knew what to say.

"Megan, I am not cheerleading," I said, handing her two brown bags. "End of discussion."

She frowned for a moment before brightening. "Well, will you at least come with me to tryouts when the school team has them?"

I nodded.

"Great! I'm going to go get Superboy and then—" She was cut off by the computer announcing the arrival of Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado.

"Uncle J'onn!" she cried, rushing out of the kitchen, paper bags in hand.

I looked over at Kal. "You're here early."

"I thought I would see you off," he said with a small smile.

I grinned. "That's sweet. C'mon, I need to get my backpack."

Nodding he followed me out of the kitchen. "What time does your school day finish?"

I looked at him over my shoulder. "Around three, I think. Do you still want to go into Metropolis?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," he laughed.

"Well I still do." I paused outside my door. "I can be back here by half past three."

"Then I will be waiting."

I smiled. "Great."

The door slid open and I grabbed my back pack off the ground next to my bed.

"Are you excited for your first day?" Kal asked as I slid the bag onto my back.

I shrugged. "I'll be happier when it's over," I said, "and I can go into Metropolis with you."

He smiled at that and we walked back down the hallway as I slipped my hand into his.

The two of us were almost past the kitchen when Megan came floating out of the door. I released Kal's hand as Red Tornado and Martian Manhunter followed her into the hallway.

"Good morning," Martian Manhunter greeted. "Aqualad, Ignis."

"M-morning," I stuttered, thrown by his use of my new alias.

Kaldur murmured a greeting as Megan soared over to where we were standing. "Cay, you're ready?"

I nodded my assent. "And you?"

"I am," she replied enthusiastically, "and Uncle J'onn came to see me off."

"That's great," I said, with a grin.

With Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado trailing behind us, Kal, Megan and I continued down the hallway.

"So, what classes do you have Cay?" Megan asked.

"I have math, biology, world politics, American history and chemistry," I replied after a moment of thought. "You?"

Megan was practically bursting with excitement. "Do you have world politics first period?" I nodded. "We all have a class together!"

"Awesome," I replied, genuinely relieved, "we can all sit together."

Megan nodded as we entered the garage. Superboy was tinkering with his motorcycle while the sphere rolled around beside him.

"Cay and I made our lunches," Megan sang, floating down the ramp to land just in front of the bike.

As I walked down the ramp after her the sphere turned its circuitry to face me. With a beep it slowly rolled in my general direction. I stopped and took a step back, bumping into Kaldur.

"Sorry," I said as the sphere came to a stop a few feet in front of me.

Kal placed a hand on my shoulder, watching the sphere closely.

"The sphere?" he questioned.

I nodded. "It's just…"

The sphere beeped and blinked its red light, shifting slightly from left to right.

"I think it likes you," Kal said, the corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile.

"You think?" Shrugging his hand off I took a tentative step forward and reached out with my free hand.

The sphere beeped again and rolled into my open palm, its red light flashing a few times before it zoomed back to Superboy.

"There's something inherently creepy about sentient machinery," I said quietly, backing up to stand next to Kal once again.

Red Tornado shot me a sidelong glance.

I grinned sheepishly. "No offence Red Tornado. You're pretty cool."

"The first day of the scholastic season carries great cultural resonance," Martian Manhunter intoned, casting a glance from me to Superboy and Megan. "We wanted to wish you all well."

"Guess it's not a Kryptonian thing," Superboy said, wiping his hands on a rag and dropping his gaze.

I shrugged. "The first day of school isn't really anyone's 'thing'."

Kal looked from Megan to Superboy. "You may wish to change before you depart?"

I nodded my agreement. "Megan, as great as your outfit is—"

"Don't worry," she laughed, "I spent hours picking it out last night!" Her clothes morphed from superhero to civilian in the blink of an eye. "What do you think? Can M'gann M'orzz pass as an earth girl now?"

"Well…" Kal trailed off.

"You might—" I began.

Megan laughed again. "Just kidding!"

Her skin changed smoothly from green to a light peach tone. "Meet Megan Morse!"

I nodded. "You'll fit right in Megan."

"Thanks Cay," she beamed as she turned to Superboy. "What's your Earth name?"

He shot her a confused look. "My what?"

"Well, we can't walk around calling you Superboy," I pointed out. "Someone might catch on to the fact you're…"

Striding up to stand next to Kal and I, Martian Manhunter morphed into the guise of a clean shaven, dark skinned man outfitted in a blue suit.

"I chose the name John Jones for myself," he said, addressing Superboy, "and I suggested the name John Smith for Red Tornado. You could be a John too."

"I'll pass," Superboy muttered, crossing his arms.

"We could give you a really foreign sounding name," I suggested with a grin. "Then we could pretend you were an exchange student from Europe. You wouldn't have to talk to anyone because we would tell them you don't speak English! We could call you Hans or Sven— "

Superboy shot me a look that said he didn't find the idea as enticing as I did.

"Conner's always been my favorite name," Megan said, placing her hand on his arm.

He shrugged.

"You'll need a last name too," I added.

"Perhaps, Kent?" Maritan Manhunter suggested, smiling slightly.

Megan nodded enthusiastically. "In memory of Doctor Fate: the late, Kent Nelson!"

Martian Manhunter shot Red Tornado a sidelong look. "Uh, of course."

"Okay, sure," Superboy said. "I guess it would be an honor, or something,"

"Well, Conner Kent," Megan said, trying out his new name, "time to change your shirt."

He looked down at his shirt, apparently confused.

"You can't wander around with a giant 'S' on your shirt," I pointed out. "We're supposed to be blending in."

"You can't give away your secret identity," Megan agreed.

Superboy shrugged and pulled his shirt off over his head. I looked sideways at Kaldur, but not before catching an eyeful of Superboy's muscled chest and Megan's extremely red face. Kal could learn a lot from the shirtless wonder. As Superboy finished flipping his shirt inside out and he pulled it back on.

"Will this work?" he asked, looking from me to Megan.

Megan sighed. "Works for me."

"Time to go," I sang.

Superboy and Megan nodded in tandem and the three of us moved towards the Cave exit. As we stepped over the threshold I paused and shot a glance back at Kal. He was still standing on the ramp. Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado had gone. He raised a hand in farewell. I waved, a grin spreading across my face.

"Wait," Superboy said, as the three of us continued out the door, "shouldn't I be Conner Nelson?"

* * *

"That was the longest distance I've walked in a long time," I groaned, adjusting my backpack on my shoulders as we walked towards the front of Happy Harbor High.

"I can't believe we're here," Megan said, her voice bubbling with excitement. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Superboy walked between us, his face unreadable. As the crowd began to thicken I watched him and Megan carefully. I had no idea why either of them wanted to even be there. School was the most mundane thing I could think of. They were superheroes, I would've thought education would be the last thing on their mind.

"Well," I said, as we wound our way through the growing throng of students, "we should get inside before—"

My breath caught in my throat as Superboy plucked a skateboarder that came a little too close to Megan off his ride and held him aloft by the neck of his jacket.

He glared at the boy. "Explain this," he growled, pointing to the struggling teen's shirt.

I was still at a loss for words when Megan appeared next to me.

"Explain what!" the dangling boy cried, staring down at Superboy.

"Conner!" I croaked, finding my voice. "Put him down!"

"What's your problem?" came an unfamiliar voice.

I turned around to see who had spoken. It was a tall dark-skinned guy wearing a shirt with Superman's logo.

"Put my man Marvin down," he continued.

"I don't think he likes my shirt," wheezed Marvin, apparently a little breathless.

"Conner!" I hissed again.

He scanned the crowd of onlookers. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that the guy that had spoken wasn't alone, a bunch of the other teenagers had superhero symbols on their shirts.

"Your shirt's fine," Conner growled, placing Marvin back on the ground. "Everyone's shirts are fine."

I shot Megan a pained look.

_He'll get better_, she assured me, her voice echoing through my mind.

_I knew we should have gone with the exchange student story_, I griped, _then we could have explained his crazy outbursts._

Megan smiled. _Everything will be fine_.

I rolled my eyes. Based on the way everyone was staring, I highly doubted it.

Marvin's friend, the linebacker, stalked up to Superboy, Megan and I. The crowd pressed closer.

_Megan…_ I warned. _This isn't good._

She shot me a confused look. _What do you mean? What isn't good?_

"Hi! We're new here. I'm Cay Tare, and this is Megan Morse and Conner Kent," I said, pointing to each of us in turn. "Sorry about that, Conner's been homeschooled since he was little. First time at school, y'know?"

His gaze was fixed over my shoulder at Supey who I knew was probably glaring back with equal intensity.

Thankfully, one of the teachers stepped in. Snapping his fingers to get everyone's attention he made his way through the crowd and stopped behind Superboy's new friend.

"Okay kids, that's enough," he said, casting a disapproving glance from Superboy to me. "Time to get to home room."

The rest of the teens began to disperse as I turned back to Superboy. He took a step forward, as if to go after the other guy.

_Conner!_ Megan's voice echoed around my skull, making me a bit dizzy. From the look of mild irritation of Superboy's face he had heard it too.

"I'm gonna—" he mumbled.

"Get expelled on your first day?" I interrupted. "Look, you're not going to like everyone you meet here. Just try to not kill them okay?"

Superboy cast a glance at Megan. She smiled at him. Still unhappy, he nodded.

"Okay, let's go and—"

As I went to make my way up the stairs a pretty black-haired girl popped up beside Megan and began to introduce herself.

"Hi! I'm Wendy," she said. "I was new here last year so I know how hard it is to fit in."

She looked from Megan to me. "But you both look like Bumblebee material to me."

I tried not to groan at the mention of the cheerleading squad.

"Do you really think?" Megan asked excitedly.

Wendy nodded. "Sure do. Tryouts are after school. You two should definitely come and try out."

"Thanks, I'll be there!" Megan cried, walking up the steps into the school with her.

The two fell into a deep and meaningful conversation about cheerleading outfits as I followed a few steps behind with a somewhat moody Superboy.

"Dude!" came a familiar voice. Superboy and I turned to see Marvin climbing the steps behind us.

"Facing down Mal Duncan, that's fierce! Not very bright, but fierce!" he continued, patting Conner's shoulder. "You've got guts man."

With a wink in my direction he trotted up the steps and into the school.

"What's your home room number, Conner?" I asked.

"Eighty nine," he grunted.

"Perfect, we're in the same class for roll."

He held open the door and I walked into the building. Seeing all the teenagers milling around it was hard to recognize the building as the one we had used to house Roquette. Everything was so… normal.

I shook my head and made my way down the hallway. Wendy disappeared with a final wave to Megan, into a classroom. Rejoining us, I could tell Megan was in her element.

"If I make the team," she gushed, "I'll get an outfit like Wendy's!"

"Cool," I said simply, coming to a stop outside my homeroom. "Well, this is our stop."

Superboy walked past me and into the room.

Megan frowned. "I'm in room one hundred and twelve."

"It's okay," I assured her, "we'll meet you in world politics. We all have that class together, right?"

She nodded. "On the second floor."

"Okay, we'll meet you outside the classroom and then we can all sit together."

"Okay," she said happily as the first warning bell rang. "Oh no! I'd better get going."

She rushed off down the hallway.

"If you're late just say you got lost!" I called after her.

As she disappeared around the bend I turned, chuckling, to find a seat in my homeroom.

"Just say you got lost, eh?"

My homeroom teacher was leaning in the doorway. He had reddish, brown hair, dark eyes – I recognized him as the teacher that had split up Supey and Mal's fight.

"Uh," I stuttered eloquently as the second bell rang.

He laughed and stepped aside. "I think your friend saved you a seat."

I walked past him, my face red and took the seat next to Superboy.

And so began our exceedingly normal school day. Well as normal as babysitting the sixteen week old clone of Superman during his first home room ever could be.

Our teacher, Mr. Carr, handed out flyers for the school's first spirit day of the semester. He rambled about how we would eventually have to apply to University and that our guidance councilors had more information on it.

"Now, let's take roll and you kids can get to your first period class," he said, picking up a clipboard from his desk.

I nudged Superboy as he began calling names. "When they call your name say, 'here'," I instructed in a whisper.

"I know that," he grumbled as the teacher continued down the list.

After calling a few more names Mr. Carr stared down at his list, looking confused. "Ca… Cee… I'm sorry, something that starts with 'C' Tare?"

"Here," I called as everyone turned in their seats to stare at me,

Mr. Carr's gaze rested on me. "How do you say your name?"

"It's Caelyn," I replied slowly. "I prefer Cay, though."

"Caelyn," he repeated. "Huh. Okay, Cay, thank you!"

"You're welcome," I mumbled.

As Mr. Carr continued with roll call I wondered why Superboy hadn't been called before me.

"Is there anyone who's name I didn't call?" Mr. Carr asked.

Superboy raised his hand.

"Are you in the right room?" the teacher questioned.

"I think so."

Mr. Carr looked down at his list. "What's your name?"

"Conner Kent."

Nodding, Mr. Carr wrote something on his clipboard. "Alright, Conner, I'll figure out where you're supposed to be. Drop by the office after school and I'll have things sorted out."

The bell rang, signaling the end of home room and I gathered up my bag. "C'mon Conner, we're meeting Megan outside our politics class."

He nodded, picking up his own bag as we followed the other kids out into the hall.

* * *

Superboy and I met Megan outside our world politics classroom a few minutes later. The three of us filed in and took up a row of seats near the middle of the room. As the first fell rang our teacher, Mr. Carr, walked in and dropped his bag behind the teachers desk at the front of the room.

The final bell rang a few minutes later and he got straight down to business.

"I hope you've all had a good summer. But, to start off we're going to talk about the ongoing political issues in Rhelasia," said, leaning against his desk. "Now, can anyone tell me about Rhelasia? Marvin?"

Marvin, the boy from earlier, shifted in his seat before shrugging. "Uh, well Mr. Carr it's better than Fake-Asia."

The class tittered with laughter. Mr. Carr sighed.

"Anyone else?" he asked.

"Modern Rhelasia was created in 1855," Conner said, taking the teacher by surprise, "and ruled by the Bokun dynasty until it was divided into North and South Rhelasia after World War Two."

"Very good!" Mr. Carr said, recovering from his initial shock that a student responded intelligently.

"But why are they fighting they're all human, I mean, Rhelasians," Connor continued. "Right?"

I raised my hand.

"Yes, Ms. Tare, right?"

I nodded. "Well, to answer Conner's question, they're fighting because their regimes are so different. From what I've read it's been that way for a long time. The North hates the South and the South hates the North."

Mr. Carr was nodding when I had finished. "That's very true, but, I think it's a little more than just conflicting regimes."

He went on with his lecture as Megan's voice echoed through my mind, not for the first time that day.

_It's no different on Mars. The white Martian minority are treated like second-class citizens by the green majority, _she said. _Of course, I'm green, but that doesn't make it right._

I remained silent, trying to focus on Mr. Carr's lesson. How could I even respond to something like that? I had no idea there were more than one type of Martian. In fact, up until a few months ago I hadn't even known there was more than one Martian in existence, let alone a whole civilization on Mars.

The rest of the class went on without incident. When the bell rang I waited as the rest of the class filed out, heading to their next classes. Conner, Megan and I moved on to biology, which was thankfully uneventful.

Walking out of the classroom, each toting a biology textbook that weighed the equivalent of a small child, Megan turned to me, beaming.

"Are you ready for lunch Cay?" she asked excitedly.

I nodded, reaching into my bag to grab the brown paper bag that I had shoved my lunch into. My face fell as I realized it wasn't in my backpack.

"What is it?"

I shrugged my backpack on. "I left my lunch back at the Cave."

"Oh no." She looked down at the paper bag she held in her hand. "Well don't worry we can share!"

I shook my head. "Don't worry, I'll just head back to the Cave and get it."

Connor glanced up at the clock above the door to our biology classroom. "Will you have enough time?"

I nodded. "I'll be back before the end of lunch."

"Okay, we'll be waiting outside the front of the school," Megan said.

"Alright, I'll see you then."

* * *

I made it back to the Cave in record time. I jogged most of the way, only stopping once to tie my jacket around my waist when I got too hot. The back entrance was open and I walked into what served as the garage. The sphere was in the far corner, unmoving.

Hoping to keep it that way I picked my way around Superboy's bike and up the ramp. Unfortunately, with a sudden beep the sphere came to life and rolled up the ramp after me.

"What do you want?" I asked it.

It made a whirring noise and flashed its red light as it shifted from side to side.

Not knowing what it meant I motioned to the closing entrance. "Superboy'll be back later. He's at school."

I started walking down the main hallway, hoping to find Kaldur as soon as possible. The sphere followed, rolling along a few feet behind me. The whirring noise it made as it spun made it difficult to tell if there was anyone else in the Cave.

"Hello?" I called as I made it to the kitchen door. "Kaldur?"

"Cay?"

I walked into the kitchen to see him standing in the TV room doorway.

"You are back from school?" he asked, confused.

I shook my head and motioned to the counter. "I left my lunch."

He nodded. "I see."

I grabbed the bag off the counter, shoving it violently into my bag. "Have you done much today Kal?"

By the time I had finished zipping up my backpack he still hadn't answered. "Kal?"

"I have received a call from Red Arrow," he said slowly.

I shot him a confused look. "You mean Green Arrow's angry ex-sidekick?" I paused. "What did he want?"

"He is in Taipei," Kal replied, "and in need of assistance."

I dropped my bag on the counter.

"Assistance with what?" I asked, leaning up against the counter.

"He has been monitoring the Rhelasian peace summit and believes the League of Shadows has been contracted to assassinate the arbitrator, Lex Luthor."

"He called and asked for help?" I asked, shocked.

Kaldur smiled slightly. "I too was surprised."

"Well… are you going?"

He nodded. "Of course."

"You want some company?"

* * *

"And who is she?"

Stepping out of the phone booth the transporter had dropped us off in I slid on my mask. "Ignis," I said rather proudly.

Roy crossed his arms and shot a nasty look in my direction before turning back to Kaldur. "I was under the impression that you would be coming alone Aqualad."

"You requested the team's assistance," Kaldur said simply. "Cay was the only member of the team that was available for this mission. We are here to help."

"The help you asked for," I added, stepping up next to him.

Roy glanced from me to Kal. "Negotiations recommence in an hour." He looked us up and down. "You'll have to get changed."

I smiled slightly. "Do the stores around here carry anything of the fireproof variety?"

* * *

An hour later I was standing in a stuffy meeting hall next to Kaldur as the Rhelasian diplomats shouted insults back in forth. I sighed, if these two countries had actually wanted peace between them maybe they should have sent two less confrontational people. Scanning the crowd for some sign of the League of Shadows I turned my attention away from the bickering toddlers posing as politicians, but I noticed nothing amiss.

"Anything?" I asked, shuffling closer to Kal.

"Nothing as of yet," he replied.

I sighed, turning my gaze to the bickering leaders seated at the table. Things appeared to have gotten more heated as the General was out of his chair pointing accusingly at the Prime Minister.

"Gentleman," Luthor interrupted, raising his hands to stave off their almost immediate retorts. "This is mere rhetoric. Despite your great differences you still share an appreciation for many things, such as the traditional and exquisite art of the Rhelasian tea ceremony."

I looked behind us as Luthor gestured towards the window. In what I assumed was traditional Rhelasian dress was a woman pushing a tea cart.

"Do you think…" I trailed off as I turned back to Kal.

"I do not think, I know. Be on your guard, she is not alone."

I set my jaw as I wrapped my hand around the hilt of my baton that I had hidden in the folds of my coat. Roy had helpfully found a wool overcoat for me to hide my suit. "Always."

Drawing his water-bearers from the pockets of his windbreaker Kal turned around to face the woman.

"That is far enough, Cheshire."

There was a collective intake of breath as the onlookers behind us began backing away. Obviously peeved that her plan had been foiled Cheshire pushed the tea cart towards us as she fled back the way she had come. Kal's water barrier formed as Roy loosed an arrow from his position behind Luthor. As arrow met tea cart an explosion rocked the building, knocking most of the assembled guests off their feet.

As the smoke and flames of the tea cart faded the water that had made up Kal's barrier sunk to the ground.

Slipping out of my overcoat I slid my mask on and pulled out my baton. Roy joined Kal and I, an arrow at the ready as Cheshire pulled herself to her feet. Ripping off the remains of his windbreaker Kal glanced sideways at Roy.

"It's over Cheshire," Roy growled.

"You would think so," she replied, smirking as a helicopter drew level with the broken window behind her.

Drawing her throwing knives, Cheshire jumped back as a collection of goons leapt out of the helicopter followed closely by Sportsmaster.

"Take Sportsmaster!" Roy ordered. "Cheshire's mine."

I nodded. "I've got the goons."

Skirting the puddle formed by Kal's water barrier I felt the familiar tingle that accompanied the gel production. Striking my rings together the flames raced up my arms and down the batons length.

One thing I've noticed about bad guys; they never expect you to spontaneously combust. The three goons that had converged on me hesitated, eyeing the flames running up and down my arms. I landed a kick square in the chest of the man to my left, sending him back into the far wall. His comrades exchanged glances before moving towards me.

The second man came at me with a really nasty looking javelin while his buddy had a seemingly never ending supply of throwing stars. Dodging them while trying to fend off the javelin was hard enough; add trying to avoid all the water on the ground and it made it nearly impossible for me to land a hit.

I was slowly being forced back towards the fallen statues, away from Kaldur and Roy. Gritting my teeth I narrowly sidestepped the javelin and clubbed my attacker across the temple. He fell with a dull thud, his smoldering helmet rolling away as I set my sights on his friend.

Giving up on the throwing stars the man drew a short, wicked looking dagger from a sheath at his hip. Not liking my chances against it I began to collect the flaming gel in my hands. As he advanced towards me I backpedalled and chucked the gel in his direction. He tried to avoid the flaming projectile but most of it splattered over his right shoulder and arm. With a strangled cry he dropped his knife and began frantically beating at his arm.

In a few short strides I had laid him out flat on his back beside his two friends. With them dealt with I turned my attention back to Kal and Roy. The Rhelasian Prime Minister's guards had taken out most of the other goons and I wanted to keep up my streak of usefulness.

Sportsmaster and Kal were closer to the broken window than I really wanted to be but, as Sportsmaster knocked Kal off his feet my decision was made for me. Grabbing a splintered section of wood I soaked it in the flaming gel and sent it hurtling towards Sportsmaster's masked head. Of course, he sidestepped the projectile. It went skittering away landing uselessly on the tiled floor behind him. But I had never really expected it to hit him, Instead it focused his attention on me, which gave Kal time to pull himself to his feet and reform the mace and sword he had been fighting with before.

"Bad move, girl," Sportsmaster hissed, drawing a studded ball on a cable from his belt.

I dove behind an overturned table as the ball crashed into the ground where I had been standing. It disappeared from a moment and then burst through the tabletop, narrowly missing my head. Losing my concentration the flames on my arms sputtered out. Knowing that Sportsmaster wasn't likely to miss a third time I grabbed onto the ball and pulled back on it with all my might. There was a tug of war of sorts and then the cable went slack as Sportsmaster appeared beside the table, saber in hand.

"Shouldn't take what's not yours," he growled, eyeing the ball in my hand.

Grabbing the cable, I swung the ball wildly before sending it into his gut. He staggered back, narrowly avoiding Kal's twin water-blades that came crashing down, obliterating the place he had been standing.

"You are alright?" Kal asked, not taking his eyes off of Sportsmaster.

I rose to my feet and quickly reignited the gel. "Yeah."

I hefted the cable and ball off the ground. It was a practical weapon, there was no use letting it go to waste, plus, it was really cool looking.

Kal shot me another sidelong glance. I cupped the ball in my hands, coating it in a thick layer of gel and flames. Dropping the flaming mass to the ground I wrapped the handle around my hand a few times. I nodded slightly and the two of us moved towards Sportsmaster. Kal attacked first, coming in from the right, sweeping his swords up to meet Sportsmaster's saber.

Occupied with Kaldur he almost missed the smoldering ball rocketing towards his head as I attacked from the left. Sweeping Kal's blades to the side the masked man sidestepped my attack, grabbed the cable and pulled me off my feet and swung me into Kal.

"Wrapping the cable around your wrist; not very smart girly," Sportsmaster chuckled as I disentangled myself from Kal. "But not bad. Better than your team did in Santa Prisca, or Bialya."

Kal's head snapped up as he pulled me to my feet. "How did you—"

"I have an inside source," Sportsmaster replied, leering. "Very inside."

I stared at our opponent and then turned to Kal. "That's not possible."

The look on his face told me he wasn't so sure. Turning back to Sportsmaster I increased my gel production. It was getting harder as the fight went on to keep up the rate of synthesis that I wanted. I hadn't eaten lunch and breakfast had been hours before. Drawing the baton from the holster at my waist I brandished it in front of me.

"Aqualad, let's end this," Roy called from somewhere behind us.

I shot a glance back over my shoulder in time to see Roy taking aim at something on the ceiling. I followed his line of sight and my stomach dropped. Rows and rows of sprinkles dotted the beams above us.

"Red Arrow, no!" I shouted.

But it was too late. The arrow made contact with the ceiling, exploding on impact and triggering the sprinkler system.

In an effort to not die I cut off all gel production. I had never had to immediately stop such rapid synthesis and it physically hurt me. I dropped to my knees, feeling like I had just been punched in the gut by a transport truck. Dimly I could hear Kal shouting something. I couldn't understand why he wasn't taking advantage of Roy's brilliant, if somewhat deadly, move. There was water everywhere.

"Take him out!" I snapped, jerking my head in Sportsmaster's direction.

The pool of water that had gathered on the floor disappeared as a giant water snake reared up in front of Kal. Waiting the pain to subside I watched as it took out the remaining members of Sportsmaster's squad. The serpent took out the final goon and it turned to Sportsmaster. Dropping down in front of him, Cheshire produced a bomb and her mask from the folds of her robe.

She threw the bomb into the water snake's mouth and it exploded, sending water in every direction. I was soaked, once again, as smoke spread throughout the meeting hall. Coughing, I dragged myself to my feet and stumbled over to where I thought Kal should have been.

Instead, the smoke thickened and I was left coughing in near blackness. From behind me there was an unintelligible shout mingled with something that sounded like a sliding door, then silence.

The smoke cleared in time for me to see Lex Luthor's assistant's arm go from ray gun back to a normal human appendage. Go figure, I wasn't the only biological freak in the room. But to be fair, having a gun in your arm was pretty weird, even for me.

Kal and Roy were a few feet to my right and I trudged over to them as Luthor conversed with the very impressed Rhelasian leaders.

"Ignis," Kal said making his way towards me. "You are—"

"Doing pretty well, despite Red Arrow's best attempts to kill me," I interrupted as he stopped beside me.

"And how did I do that?" Roy snapped.

"In what world do fire and water mix?" I replied heatedly, gesturing to the puddles all around us.

Crossing his arms he snorted. "So it put a damper on your pyrotechnics, big deal."

Kal put a hand on my shoulder and I bit back my retort.

"It is a little more serious than that," he said.

"If those sprinklers had hit me while I was producing my gel, I would have died," I continued, in a hushed voice.

Roy remained silent for a moment, his face unreadable. "You didn't say anything before."

I sighed. "To be honest it didn't really occur to me. My team knows about it. It's not something I have to bring up a lot."

"Then really it was your fault," he pointed out, "for not telling me."

I bristled. "Really, it was your fault for not having a rational thought process."

Roy uttered a short bark of laughter, catching me off guard. I didn't think he could be anything other than angry.

"You know something, I almost like you," he said.

I paused. "I could say the same thing."

The three of us fell into silence. Kal hadn't said a whole lot. He looked worried. And I knew why. Sportsmaster's inside source. I couldn't accept that he had been telling the truth. There was no way anyone on the team would betray us. We were friends. And he was a villain. Why would he admit to having a member of our team as his informer? It was stupid, his insider's position among us would be compromised.

"Kal?" I asked quietly.

He smiled slightly. "I am glad you are alright."

* * *

The rest of the peace summit went off without a hitch. Luthor's android bodyguard seemed to have peaked the interest of both Rhelasian leaders and they seemed eager to do whatever Luthor suggested.

As the treaty between the two nations was signed Roy crossed his arms and turned to Kal and me.

"I can't believe we just did a solid for Lex Luthor."

Kal turned and began walking for the exit. "Not for Luthor; for peace."

Roy fell into step beside me as we followed him out.

"Beyond that," Kal continued as we exited the building, "if Ra's and the League of Shadows wanted to sabotage the summit the signing of the treaty renders their contract moot. It is over."

"Is it?" Roy asked.

I turned to him. "You—"

"I heard what Sportsmaster said," he continued. "Do the two of you really think there's a mole on your team feeding him intel?"

I bit the inside of my lip. As much as I wanted to deny the fact that we could have a mole. I couldn't. How much did I really know about my teammates? We were friends, but I didn't know them that well.

"I cannot rule out the possibility," Kal replied. "I will investigate, quietly."

Roy looked shocked. "And not tell them?"

Kal shook his head slightly. "I do not want the unit unraveling over baseless suspicions."

"If there is a mole," I put in, "and they know their position among us is compromised they could go after the rest of the team."

"And if they do not, I do not wish to alert them," he replied.

I nodded. "You have a point."

"Well, good luck with that," Roy said, giving a mock salute before turning to go.

"A moment, my friend," Kal said as the other boy paused. "Tonight, you could have called Green Arrow for help, or the Justice League. Instead, your first instinct was to call the Cave."

Roy turned back to us. "You're right. The team deserves - has my respect. I'm still getting used to this whole solo act stuff. But if you need anything, I'll be there."

He and Kal shook hands. Turning to me he shrugged and held out his hand.

"And I guess you aren't completely useless," he said as I took his proffered hand. "Sorry about the sprinkler thing."

"No big deal," I said with a small smile. "I'm still alive."

"Well, until next time, both of you."

With that he walked off, leaving Kal and I standing alone outside the building's main entrance.

"Thank you, Cay," Kal said. "Your assistance was invaluable."

I shrugged. "Well, thanks for bringing me along. I need as much practice as I can get."

His face darkened as we walked back towards the alley where the transporter had brought us. "Cay, the mole—"

"And what we do about it are up to you," I finished for him, keeping my eyes on the pavement ahead. "I trust you Kal. You'll make the right choice, and you have my support. No matter what."

When he didn't respond immediately I looked over at him. "Kal?"

"Thank you."

I paused as we turned down the alleyway from earlier that night. "Oh no."

He stopped beside me. "What is it?"

"We're not going to have time to go into Metropolis today," I sighed.

"I am sorry. I thought, perhaps, that we would return to the Cave in time." He glanced up at the sky. "However…"

I shrugged. "There's nothing you could have done. The team comes first, right?"

"Indeed."

"You two know Taipei has a whole district that's opened for shopping all night, right?"

I spun around at the sound of the familiar voice.

"Roy!"

Wearing the suit and tie he had been outfitted in before our fight at the peace summit Roy walked towards us and tossed me my baton. "You forgot something."

I caught it and shoved it back in the sheath at my hip. "Thanks."

"Welcome," he said shortly. "And, if you two want to go out, Taipei's the place to do it."

I looked him up and down. "You don't strike me as the type to go out on the town, Roy. Or the type to eavesdrop."

He shrugged. "I like to know as much as I can about the city I'm working in. And the people I'm working with. Anyway, market's open 'til around four in the morning. Just thought you'd like to know. See you around."

I glanced at Kal who smiled slightly.

"Thank you," he said.

Roy grinned and disappeared into the shadows of the alley.

I looked over at Kal. "Ready to go?"

He shook his head. "I believe we have a date."

* * *

"Okay," I said, halting just off the main street. "You wait here."

"Where are you going?" Kaldur asked.

I pulled off my boot and produced my credit card from within. "To buy us disguises."

Kal stared at me blankly. "Your credit card was in your boot?"

I grinned. "Never leave home without it."

He chuckled as I jogged out onto the main street, weaving my way through the slow moving foot traffic. Across the road there was a vendor that had mountains of clothing covering every surface of his booth, all of which he was hawking mercilessly to everyone who passed.

One short trip to the ATM later and I was standing in front of him, trying to communicate the fact that I wanted the black jacket, not the pink one. He eventually just let me grab the clothes I wanted and then gave me the receipt. Placing the money in his hand I turned back to make my way through the crowd, arms full of clothes.

Kal was waiting exactly where I had left him. I passed him the black jacket, white t-shirt and jeans.

"Now we just need to find somewhere to change," I muttered, looking out into the market. Down the road there was a fast food restaurant.

I turned back to Kal who was examining the pair of pants I had brought back. "Follow me."

* * *

Taipei was definitely the coolest place I'd ever been. The shopping district kicked the pants off of anything Metropolis could possibly offer. They sold everything.

Kal and I moved through the booths, outfitted in our new clothes. I bought a few things that caught my eye, but it was really just nice to be out with Kal doing something normal. If normal was wandering around with an Atlantean in the middle of a Taipei market.

Walking through the rows of vendors Kal asked me about Miss Spruce and growing up in Metropolis. I responded with some of the tamer stories about Miss Spruce teaching me to drive and my first day at school.

"What about you?" I asked, when I had finished. He looked questioningly back at me.

"Growing up in Atlantis," I prompted. "What's it like?"

He smiled. "In a word, beautiful. There is nothing like it anywhere."

"You miss it," I said after a moment.

"Of course," he nodded. "But becoming Aqualad was something I had to do. And…" he trailed off.

I shot him a sidelong glance. "And?"

"Had I not left I would never have found you."

* * *

**A/N: **RIGHT! I have news for you all. It's that time of the year where my life slowly spirals downwards in a never ending vortex of despair and torment. Yes, I have midterms. Chemistry, Cellular Biology, Developmental Zoology. and Physics! Doesn't that just sound charming?

The inevitable commencement of midterms mean there will be ZERO room in my brain for things as fun and not school related as Incendium. In turn, I won't be updating until the end of the month. Which makes me sad. I hope it makes you sad too. However, my return will be heralded by a great outpouring of AMAZING. Mainly in the form of Incendium but also in the form of another story. Which is mainly about Icicle Jr. and the word 'cohabitation'.

Thanks for reading, reviewing and/or adding to your alerts! I would list you all but I have studying to do so… bleh, I have to go do that. CHEMISTRY MAKES ME WANT TO DIE. But there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. And it is called "Revelations".

Anyway, thanks again guys!

V.K.


	14. Stakeout

Kal and I made it back to the Cave after a few hours of wandering around the market. Megan and Superboy were waiting for me as I came through the transporter.

"Cay!" Megan cried, floating in from the TV room. "We were worried when you didn't come back to school!"

Superboy followed more slowly, the sphere rolling a few steps behind him.

"Sorry about that Megan," I said sheepishly as the computer announced Kal's imminent arrival. "I got back and Kal asked for my help."

Superboy shot me a dubious look. "Help with what?"

"Long story short," I continued as Kal stepped up beside me. "We went to Taipei to help Red Arrow."

"Red Arrow asked for the Team's help?" Megan questioned, "But I thought he was working on his own."

I nodded and shot Kal a sidelong glance. "We were pretty surprised too. But apparently this job was too big for one person. You know, standard mission, don't let the bad guys interrupt the peace summit."

"You should have come back to get us!" Megan chastised. "We could have helped."

I shook my head. "It was your first day of school, you couldn't miss it and we handled it fine."

Megan smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're okay. And school was fun; guess what!"

"What?" I said as she walked back towards the TV room with me.

"I made the cheerleading squad!"

* * *

The next week went by in a blur. School, training with Canary, my friends back in Metropolis and ever looming threat of a mole on the team made it difficult for me to get out with Kal again. But we were able to hang out in the Cave between training, so that was something.

I also managed to make it out to see Myr and Sam one day after school. They were miffed that I hadn't told them I was transferring but when I explained it was because I was living with my godfather they were a tad more understanding. Well, Myr was; Sam, not so much.

"I don't see why you should have to move to some hick town in Rhode Island," Sam griped as we ate lunch in the mall's expansive food court. "I mean, you've lived in Metropolis your whole life! Who does he think he is?"

I raised an eyebrow and grinned at her over my soda.

"My legal guardian," I supplied. "And Happy Harbor is a great town."

She crossed her arms, glaring at me. "You should have told us."

"Sam, I'm sorry," I laughed. "But we can still hang out. It's not like we're going to stop being friends just because I've left Metropolis."

Myr looked up from her poutine. "But Cay, how are you going to get from Rhode Island to here?"

I shrugged. "I'll find a way. C'mon, I've managed more difficult things."

Sam laughed. "Like that time you were grounded and you scaled the side of your house to come to my party. How well did that turn out for you Cay?"

"That was the most memorable birthday ever!" Myr exclaimed. "The nurses at the hospital were so nice! Remember the cake they bought us?"

"It was a donut from the coffee shop with a candle in it," Sam said sourly.

"But I still managed to sneak out," I added. "It was a truly impressive feat."

"You broke your arm and three fingers! And you successfully ruined my birthday party by making Greg, Myr and I come to the hospital with you! Do you know how my boyfriend and I didn't want to spend our night?"

Myr giggled and prodded me in the side with her elbow. "It was a somewhat successful escape attempt."

"Cay, face it, that break out was an epic failure," Sam said with a grin. "What did you end up telling Miss Spruce when you got home?"

I thought about it for a moment. "She wasn't home when I got back. So I hid in my room."

Sam stole a fry from Myr's tray and popped it into her mouth before continuing. "I seem to remember you not being allowed out of the house except for school for more than a month."

"Yeah, that sucked. Definitely not my most successful endeavor. But what about the time the three of us were on that school trip to the natural history museum?" I said. "Who was it that managed to get us into Spiffany's and then back into the museum without the teachers noticing?"

Sam grinned. "That was great," she conceded. "I had forgotten about that."

"Did you also forget how we had to write about the exhibits we were supposed to visit?" Myr asked with a frown. "I failed that assignment so hard."

"I copied off of Cay," Sam replied smugly.

"Which is the real reason you're upset that I'm not going to school with you anymore," I laughed. "You don't have anyone left to copy off of."

"My marks are suffering," she said solemnly.

Myr sighed. "We miss you Cay."

I smiled sadly. "And I miss you guys."

"You are too much," Sam said suddenly. "C'mon let's get shopping."

We spent what remained of the day at the mall, it was fun. But it felt wrong. They were so… normal. I had been to Taipei not even a week before fighting an elite group of assassins. I just didn't feel like I fit in with them like I used to.

* * *

Training with Canary was exciting as usual. She was pleased with the rate at which my fighting skills were progressing and even went so far as to assign me a sparring partner. Robin.

"I can't keep sparring with Wally?" I asked.

Canary shook her head. "It's time for you to move on to someone more experienced in hand to hand combat. Your basics are good and you'll learn a lot from Robin. Don't worry, you'll do fine."

That was at the beginning of the week and by the weekend I still hadn't won a single match. No matter what I did he always managed to trip me up.

"This seems like cruel and unusual punishment," I groaned, after our third consecutive match of the day.

"C'mon Cay," Robin laughed, heaving me to my feet. "Deep down, you know you're having fun."

From outside the illuminated ring Wally nodded his agreement, mouth full of ice cream. "And you're getting better. That time you lasted almost a whole two minutes!"

"If nothing else it's entertaining to watch," Artemis added.

Robin grinned. "Go again?"

"You would think throwing me around the ring would lose its appeal after a while," I sighed.

"Are you kidding? The faces you make are priceless!"

I frowned. "Thanks."

"If we go again I can take pictures. Then you can see for yourself."

I shook my head. "My bruises have bruises. I think I'm done for the day. Why don't you and Wally spar? Make me feel better about myself."

"Hey," Wally complained. "I've got moves. And as much as I'd love to show Rob up, I've got to go."

"Go where?" I asked as the lights of the sparring ring powered down.

"Home," Wally replied with a frown as he walked into the transporter tube, ice cream still in hand. "I've got yard work."

He disappeared as the transporter recognized his identity and beamed him off to Central City.

"I think he just stole the last tub of ice cream," I pointed out, turning to Artemis.

She rolled her eyes. "It would not surprise me."

Robin walked up to Artemis, a wry grin on his face.

"No way," she said quickly, backing towards the transporter. "One match was enough for me. I'm off."

She turned away from us as Robin shrugged and looked back to me. "Ah well, what do you want to do?"

* * *

After four rounds of air hockey and one misadventure with a bag of popcorn and half a bottle of caramel sauce, which, for the record is not intended for use with popcorn, Robin headed out.

Megan was watching TV and Superboy was off somewhere, probably playing with the sphere or fixing his motorcycle. Lowering myself down on the chair next to her I remembered the flash drive.

"Where are you going?" Megan asked, as I jumped out of the chair.

"To get something out of my room," I replied. "Jack gave me a flash drive Miss Spruce sent him."

She turned back to her show. "Okay."

A few steps from the door the computer announced the arrival of Batman, Superman, Red Tornado and Kaldur, all in rapid succession.

I stopped and looked back at Megan.

"Do we have a mission I don't know about?" I asked.

She shrugged.

I sighed as I turned on my heel and walked towards the door to the command room. I was never going to get around to opening the files on that drive.

The two of us walked into the command room just as Batman paged us over the Cave's intercom.

"Ignis, Miss Martian," Superman greeted.

I nodded back and mumbled a hello before going over to Kaldur.

"Cay," he said with a small smile.

"Hey," I replied.

"Good afternoon, Ignis," Red Tornado intoned.

I smiled. "Hi, Tornado."

"Where's Superboy?" Batman asked.

I looked to Megan who shook her head. "I don't know."

"I'm right here," Superboy interjected sharply.

Stalking in followed closely, as always, by the sphere, he stopped a few feet away from Superman. Glaring at the older version of himself Conner crossed his arms. "What is it?"

Batman glanced at Superman who was staring intently at the mug shots of four convicts on the holo-computer screen.

"This past fourth of July four ice villains staged simultaneous attacks," Batman motioned to the screen behind him before continuing. "Mr. Freeze, Icicle Jr., Killer Frost, and Captain Cold were all easily apprehended. Perhaps, too easily. Cold and Frost were immediately sent to Belle Reve Penitentiary."

The photos of the two ice villains shrank as their part of the screen was taken up by a photo of a brutal concrete and metal construction.

"A federal prison designed to house super-criminals," Batman continued. "The seventeen year old Icicle Jr. was sent to a juvenile facility and Mr. Freeze to his usual cell at Arkham Asylum. But Freeze petitioned the court to be declared legally sane and Junior sued to be tried as an adult. As a result, both await transport to Belle Reve; which seems to have been the goal all along."

The four photos on the holo-screen converged on the pictured Belle Reve prison as Batman walked towards Megan and Conner.

"I'm sending you two in to find out why."

"Inside the prison," Kaldur questioned, "who will know their true identities?"

Batman looked back, his face impassive. "No one. We can't be certain the prison staff isn't compromised."

Megan and Conner exchanged a glance and nodded.

"The two of you will be assuming the identities of Tommy and Tuppence Terror," Batman went on, bringing up a photo of a bleach blonde duo.

Red Tornado stepped forward and held a bag out to Conner.

"You will need this," the android intoned.

Looking inside he pulled out a bottle of hair dye and an identical costume to the guy on the holo-computer screen.

"Local police have been unable to deal with the Terrors, the League feels it's time for us to step in," Superman said. "Once apprehended, Tommy and Tuppence will be kept in our care until your mission has been completed. Then, you will be discreetly removed and replaced with the real twins."

Batman turned to Kal and I. "Aqualad, Ignis, you will assist Red Tornado with the Terror twins upon their capture. Then, the three of you will survey the prison and extract Miss Martian and Superboy once they have accomplished their objectives."

I nodded. With the briefing over Superman and Batman moved towards the transporter. Conner watched them go, a look of irritation on his face. Looking down into the bag he dropped it on the ground and stomped out, the sphere rolling behind him. Megan shot me a worried looked before following him out.

I turned to Red Tornado as Kal sighed.

"When do we leave?"

Red Tornado walked over and picked up Conner's bag. "When we receive the call that Martian Manhunter and Superman have engaged the Terror twins."

I nodded again, motioning to the bag, "Want me to take that to Conner?"

Red Tornado dropped the bag into my outstretched arms. "He is the most suited to playing the role of Tommy Terror. Please be sure he too is ready to go."

"We will speak with Conner," Kaldur said.

I turned on my heel and the two of us exited the room, walking through the TV room and kitchen. Turning right we made our way to Superboy's room where Megan was standing just outside the doorway.

"He wouldn't even look at me," Conner's angry mutterings drifted down the hall.

"It's alright Conner, really," Megan assured him.

When she elicited no response she looked down the hall to Kal and I.

_He's a little upset_, she said, her voice sounding in my head.

Kal nodded. _But he must focus on the task at hand._

I stopped next to Megan. Looking into his room Conner was lying on his back staring up at the ceiling. His alarm clock was scattered in several pieces across the floor and the sphere was whirring worriedly in the corner.

"Hey, Conner, you forgot something," I said, marching into his room and dropping the bag beside his bed.

He glared up at me, but remained silent.

"C'mon," I sighed. "So Superman doesn't know exactly what to think of his secretly constructed clone. Big deal. You have a mission—"

"It is a big deal," he snarled, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Sitting down he was almost as tall as I was. "And what would you know?"

I stared down at him. "Excuse me, but you're talking to someone who saw their dad maybe once a year. If that. And when I did see him, he was a jerk."

I tried to keep my face neutral. My dad was still a sensitive topic. I hadn't even really accepted the fact that he was dead. He had never been around when he was alive, so there really wasn't any difference in our father-daughter dynamic. There had been no funeral, no outpouring of condolences. Not that I had any relations to mourn him. It was just bam – your dad's dead. Here's his will. Join a secret superhero team. Deal with it.

I cleared my throat. "So, I think I know quite a bit," I finished, rather lamely.

Conner's expression softened slightly. He still looked angry, but less like he was going to launch across the room and beat me into the floor and more like he just wanted to hit me, really hard. "It's not fair—" he began.

I shrugged and fished the box of hair dye out of the bag. "Nah, the fact that I'm going to die your hair bleach blonde isn't fair. Superman…" I shrugged. "He'll come around."

He narrowed his eyes, confused and a little suspicious.

"What?" I asked exasperatedly. "If you don't dye your hair you're going be a pretty terrible Tommy Terror."

I looked over my shoulder at Megan and Kaldur not giving him time to protest. "I'm going to need some towels."

Conner motioned to the bathroom, his expression even less stormy than before. "Towels are in there."

I nodded. "Megan, get some towels out of the bathroom and then bring them and Conner to the kitchen."

I turned on my heel, box of hair dye in hand and marched out of the room. Kaldur fell into step beside me and we continued down the hallway.

Once in the kitchen I mixed the hair dye up and let it sit for the instructed two minutes. Putting on the applicator gloves as Conner and Megan walked in I motioned to the chairs lining the island.

"You might want to change your shirt before we do this," I said as he pulled out a chair. "This stuff will bleach it if it drips down."

Conner looked down at his shirt. "Will it burn my skin?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You fell into a pit of lava and were fine. I don't think a bit of peroxide will mar your shoulders."

He nodded agreeably and whipped off his shirt. Dropping it on the floor he looked to me. "Now what?"

Megan's face flushed as she dropped the towels on the counter, her gaze fixed on Conner. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a towel. Draping it over his shoulders I popped the top off the applicator bottle.

"Don't move," I instructed, sectioning off the first lock of hair and globbing the gel-like mixture on. "I don't want you to hate me when we're done."

Conner shrugged. "You're kind of hard to hate."

* * *

"I feel like I wasn't really needed," I remarked as Red Tornado and Martian Manhunter escorted the Terror twins into an unmarked, armored van.

Kal shot me a sidelong glance. "Your contribution to the mission was admirable."

"I dyed Conner's hair," I sighed.

"He would not have let me dye it," Kal replied, with a grin.

I rolled my eyes and elbowed him in the arm. "Thanks, that makes me feel so much better. You caught Tommy Terror and I dyed Conner's hair."

"The two were equally dangerous." He nodded towards the bioship. "You are ready."

Laughing I glanced over at Red Tornado who was already walking up the ramp.

"Sure am," I nodded.

Shoulder to shoulder we made our way over to the bioship. Tornado was waiting at the top of the ramp.

"It will take Superboy and Miss Martian two days to be processed and enter the penitentiary," he informed us as we boarded the ship. "Surveillance will begin upon their arrival."

"So, until then?" I asked taking one of the two available seats.

Red Tornado took up the controls. "You will remain close to the Cave should they reach the prison ahead of schedule. Attend school as you normally would, Miss Martian and Superboy's absences will be explained."

* * *

I stared at the laptop screen. The data stick provided me with no answers whatsoever. I had loaded it onto the computer and all that had appeared was a text file.

_43:22:36N, 90:29:17W._

"Hey Cay, whatcha doing?"

I started at the sound of the familiar voice. I looked up to see Robin pulling open the fridge.

"Hey… when did you come in?"

He grinned smugly. "While you were staring intently at your laptop." He paused to take a bite of a sandwich he had pilfered. "Why do you have coordinates for Gotham anyway? Planning a road trip with a special someone?"

I shot him a disproving look. "Were you reading over my shoulder?"

He shrugged, still grinning.

"Well, do you know where these are in Gotham?" I asked, gesturing to the laptop in front of me.

Pulling up his holo-computer he motioned to the laptop, his grin fading. "Let me see them again."

I turned the screen towards him. A minute later he chuckled.

"Bingo," he walked over to where I was sitting. "Here you go."

He thrust his arm out in front of me. The holo-screen was filled with a map. In the upper left corner was a blinking dot on the outskirts of North City Park.

"You know where North City Park is?" I questioned, closing my laptop.

He laughed again. "I'll give you directions."

* * *

A couple hours later I was standing outside a ramshackle white picket fence that surrounded a somewhat rundown, boarded up house. I flicked the latch on the gate open, swinging it inwards as I made my way down the path to the front door. So much for Gotham's fancy uptown.

All the houses on the block seemed to have met the same fate. Boarded up, falling down, completely forgotten.

I jiggled the doorknob, hoping that the lock would be weak after so many years of neglect. Nope, it held fast. I pressed my shoulder up against my door, shoving my weight against it. The door held again.

Stepping back I glanced up and down the street. It was getting dark, there were no people around. One swift kick to the middle of the paneling and the door rocketed inwards, breaking off its hinges and flying into the hallway as I regained my balance. With one last nervous glance up and down the street I stepped inside.

I didn't bother flicking the light switch to my right; the electricity had probably been turned off when the house was condemned. Instead I pulled out my cell phone and turned the backlight up to full strength. It was a poor way to light my way but it was the only thing I had. Well, save for the flames I could produce on my hands. But since I was in a house that was mostly made of wood and I preferred that no one know I had been there, I went with the cell phone light.

The rooms were devoid of furniture. I made my way carefully from one to the next, peering in with my cell phone light casting eerie shadows on the walls. There had to be something, somewhere for me. Or else, why send me here?

What I was looking for was on the second floor.

The last bedroom of the right was the only room on the upper level that wasn't locked. I pushed the door open with my foot, casting the light of my cell phone onto a table top.

On the table were two black coiled ropes.

I walked into the room, stopping beside the table to pick up one of the coils.

The rope was a metallic, flexible material. Unrolling it I grasped the thick, handle-like end. It wasn't a rope. It was a whip. I ran my fingers over the length of it. The material was oddly ribbed. Almost like the way that my baton was constructed.

I picked up the other coil. It was the same as the other one.

I wrapped the two whips up and turned to go. There was only one person I knew that could tell me what they were and where they had come from.

* * *

"Well… they actually look like something I designed a long time ago."

I was back at the Cave, staring up at Jack's image on the holo-screen of the computer. Kal was beside me, waiting patiently for me to finish so we could leave for Belle Reve.

"You made these?" I asked, hefting the whips up in front of me.

He shook his head. "I designed them years ago. When your father and I… well, before you were—" He paused and looked over his shoulder before continuing. "—born. But I never made a successful prototype. The design was flawed; I could never make it work."

"Flawed how? What are they for?"

Jack adjusted his glasses. "I was experimenting with weapon designs. I designed a bunch of different prototypes but in the end I came up with the baton as the only thing that would work. I could never find a material that would allow the gel to climb the entire length of the whip. It was just too great a distance. But those… you said they're metallic?"

I nodded. "And the ribbing is really close together. It's like they're separate little discs all strung together."

"I tried all the metallic compounds I could get my hands on," he muttered, resting his chin on his hands.

I looked down at the whips. "Do you think they'll work?"

"I have no idea if they'll work or not…" he replied simply. "The next time you come into Metropolis bring them with you and I'll take a look at them."

I nodded. "Tomorrow. If that works for you?"

He grinned. "Of course. I'll see you then."

"Thanks Jack."

"See ya kid."

The holo-screen went black and I turned to Kal.

"Ready to go?"

He nodded.

* * *

"I will return shortly."

I jumped, Red Tornado's voice startling me awake. I couldn't remember when exactly I had fallen asleep. The last thing I remembered was him talking about the latest documentary he had watched called _Bees: Nature's Alchemists_.

"Where are you going?" I asked, stretching in my seat.

Tornado paused. "You mentioned before that you required snacks."

I yawned. "Snacks?"

"I believe you referred to it as 'stake-out food'," he replied as a hatch opened in the floor of the ship. "You went on to include items such as potato chips, donuts, and soda pop. None of which have any nutritional value but are in your opinion very tasty. Do you have any other special requests?"

"Some ice cream?" I laughed.

Tornado nodded. "Then I will also acquire cutlery."

I looked to Kal. He shrugged as the android disappeared out of a hatch.

The two of us sat in silence for a while. Through the windshield of the bioship was Belle Reve. I couldn't take my eyes off it.

"If something goes wrong… how fast can we get to them?"

Kal looked over at me. "Miss Martian and Superboy will be fine. They are capable of taking care of themselves."

"They're in the midst of a bunch of criminals," I mumbled.

"And we are on alert to assist them should anything happen," he said reassuringly.

"Should anything happen…" I leaned back in my chair. "Of course something's going to happen."

We lapsed back into silence. I didn't feel right just sitting there, doing nothing. And the silence between us wasn't helping.

After a moment Kal turned his seat towards me. "How is school?"

"School is school," I replied, relieved to be talking about something other than the fate of our friends. "My classes are better than they were last year though. And Megan and I have made a few new friends. Conner keeps to himself, the only people he really hangs out with are Megan and I… mostly Megan. And Megan's really into the cheerleading thing."

"You are not?"

I laughed. "Nah, I've got enough extra-curriculars on my plate. What about you?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, what do you do all day? How do you spend your time in the Cave when we're at school?"

Kal smiled slightly. "I have worked my way through a large portion of the library. And I have had plenty of time to train…"

"If you ever get lonely you know you can totally come to school with us," I suggested. "It would probably make things more exciting."

He shook his head. "I have completed my education."

"In Atlantis?"

"In Shayeris," he corrected, "where I grew up."

"Atlantis isn't where you grew up?" I asked, confused.

He shook his head. "It is a common misconception. Many city-states make up Atlantis. The capital city of Poseidonis is where I studied at the Conservatory of Sorcery."

"And you lived in Shayeris before that?"

He nodded.

"What is it like? And what are your parents like? If you don't mind me asking," I added hurriedly.

"Of course I don't," he laughed. "Shayeris is beautiful. There is nothing like it anywhere. My mother's name is Sha'lain'a, a native of Shayeris. My father is Calvin Durham. He is a surface worlder, like you."

"Your father is from the surface world? But… did your mother leave Atlantis and meet him?"

He paused for a moment his gaze distant. "He was genetically modified by Black Manta to infiltrate Atlantis as a water-breather. But his love for my mother caused him to abandon Black Manta's cause." He looked up at me. "What of your family?"

I laughed hollowly. "Well, you've met my mother..."

"Cay," Kal said immediately, "that is not what I meant—"

I shook my head, cutting him off. "It's okay. My father… well, he wasn't around so I never knew him. All I've ever had was Miss Spruce. She was my family. And you've met her so, not much to tell on that front."

"Indeed I have," he laughed.

I shot him a confused look.

He grinned. "When you were first brought to the Cave, after the incident with Tess, Miss Spruce accompanied you. She remained in the Cave the whole time you were unconscious. Those of us that were there really got to know her."

"I hope she wasn't a pain," I groaned. "She can be a little bit… particular about things."

He shook his head, still smiling. "She cares for you a great deal."

I nodded. The feeling was mutual.

"How long has she been your caretaker?" Kal asked after a moment.

"I can't remember a time not having her around. She's taken care of me all my life."

"Have you heard from her since she left?"

I shook my head. "The only contact she's made has been with Jack. And I don't even know if that was her. But she'll be back. I know she will."

_Ignis, Aqualad,_ Megan's voice sounded in my head. I exchanged looks with Kal. He had heard it too. _We just met Amanda Waller, the prison warden. Superboy and I are being escorted to our cells._

_We are on alert, _Kal replied. _Stay on your guard._

_Right. _With that she severed contact.

"I don't like the whole waiting thing," I complained.

"I know," Kal said. "But it is all we can do."

I rose from my seat and walked up to the windshield. "I know."

"You still seem… unsettled," he pointed out.

"I am. Sitting here, feeling useless." I paused, still staring out at the prison. "Most of those cons were put in there by the League. Heck, some of them were put there by our team. If they find out Superboy and Megan's real identities, they'll tear them apart."

"You must try and think of something else."

I turned to face him. "Any ideas?"

"Why don't you tell me more of your life in Metropolis?" he suggested.

I walked back to my seat and fell into it. "You mean, why don't I bore you with stories about my extremely uneventful childhood?"

"I do not find them boring. On the contrary, you are very interesting."

I laughed. "I'm interesting?"

"You don't see yourself as I do," he said with a smile. "Just as you are fascinated by my world, I am fascinated by you and yours."

"You are way too charming," I protested.

A smile playing at his lips he shook his head. "You are right, I am."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile. "Okay, well, what do you want to hear about?"

* * *

An hour or so later Red Tornado returned carrying our stakeout snacks.

"Have Miss Martian and Superboy made contact?" he asked.

I tore open a bag of chips as Kaldur explained what Megan had said about being escorted to their cells. I was starving and began shoveling chips unceremoniously into my mouth.

Red turned to me as Kal finished. "The food is to your liking?"

I nodded, swallowing the gross amount of food in my mouth. "Very good."

The android nodded. "I am glad."

* * *

The rest of our stakeout was extremely uneventful. Megan periodically checked in, updating us on the status of cons. The rest of the time Red Tornado and I debated the pros and cons of daytime TV. Apparently he was very fond of the same soap operas that Miss Spruce used to watch.

"I just don't understand why anyone would want to marry a man with an eye patch," I said.

Red Tornado shook his head. "Ricardo has two fully functioning eyes. The eye patch and his attitude are all a ruse. He is actually a sensitive individual."

"And he's in love with Jillian," I stated, prying the lid off the ice cream. I offered Kal a spoon. "Want some?"

He shook his head. "I am fine."

"No, Ignis, you misunderstand. Ricardo has feelings for Jillian, but she is married to Alphonse," Tornado continued as I dug into the ice cream tub. "It is a source of much strife."

"Tornado, I have no idea how you keep track of all those characters."

"It is not difficult," he said simply. "It is only a cast of twenty or so."

As he commenced listing off characters I zoned out and shot Kal a sidelong glance. He was staring out the windshield at the prison, his brow furrowed. Megan hadn't made contact in almost two hours. He wasn't the only one who was worried.

I started as Megan's voice sounded in my head. _Cay, Kaldur, we're out of our cells, the break is happening. Killer Frost is planning to break through the walls into the men's wing. After that—Conner!_

"Megan!" I was out of my seat before I realized what I was doing. Out the windshield, the prison looked no different.

"Ignis?" Tornado questioned, rising from his seat.

I ignored him. _Megan? Megan!_

Kaldur was out of his seat, beside me. "The connection has been severed."

I spun to face Tornado. "Something's wrong. We have to get them out."

"What has occurred?" the android questioned.

"Miss Martian severed contact in the middle of transmission," Kaldur said, his voice steady. "The prison break appears to have begun."

"We have to get them out," I said again. "They've completed the mission, the ice villains wanted to break out of prison, mystery solved."

Red Tornado stared back at me, his face impassive as always. "We do not know that Miss Martian and Superboy are in danger."

"Megan—" I began.

"Could have been distracted by something, or someone," Kaldur interjected. "We cannot rush in and compromise the mission."

"The mission is over!" I snapped. "They have the intel Batman wanted!"

Kal put a hand on my shoulder. "We do not know where they are in the prison, nor if they truly need our assistance. We cannot act rashly."

I looked back out at the prison. "We can't just sit here."

"On the contrary," Tornado said, "it is the only thing we can do. All other courses of action are unwise."

"Do not worry," Kal said. "I am sure Miss Martian will reestablish contact soon."

I looked over at him. "And if she doesn't?"

"Then we will reassess the situation."

I bit the inside of my lip. Kal and Tornado had a point, as much as I wanted to protest. The prison was huge and we didn't know where Megan and Superboy were, or if they were even anywhere near one another.

"I would like nothing better than to assist them," Kal said quietly, interrupting my train of thought. "But it would likely do more harm than good. They will be alright."

I nodded.

* * *

Ten minutes later Megan's voice sounded loud and clear in my mind.

_Cay, Kaldur, can you hear me?_

_ Yes!_ I replied, wholly relieved.

_What has happened?_ Kal asked. _Your last transmission—_

_ I'm sorry about that_, Megan interrupted. _I hope you two didn't worry. Just a little problem with Killer Frost. But we're okay now! Superboy and I are out of the jail and are on our way to the bioship._

_ Wait, how did you get out! _I asked, peering out the windshield for some sign of them.

_Found an open door, _Superboy responded,_ after releasing the guards, Waller, and Strange._

Tornado was looking at Kal and I closely.

"Has Miss Martian made contact?" he asked.

I nodded, he wasn't privy to the mental conversation still going on. "Yeah."

"And they have completed their mission objective and are ready to be extracted?"

"Actually they extracted themselves," I replied. "They're on their way."

_Opening a hatch now. _

A hole yawned in the floor of the bioship as a very flushed Megan floated up, Superboy hanging off her shoulder.

"What happened in there?" I asked as Kal moved one seat closer to me, leaving the pilot's seat open for Megan.

Megan's brow knitted in confusion as she sat down. "What do you mean?"

"You just broke off mid-thought," I said, "and didn't reestablish contact until you were out of the prison."

"Well, I stopped Killer Frost from harming one of the guards," she replied slowly as the bioship turned away from the prison. "In retaliation she sort of… froze me."

She must have noticed the look of horror on my face because she rushed on.

"But I was never in any danger! It gets really cold on Mars. The planet is so much farther from the sun than Earth. I was just, unable to establish a mental link while I was in the ice."

"And you are alright?" Kal inquired. "Both of you?"

Superboy and Megan exchanged looks before nodding.

I settled down into my seat. "Good."

* * *

"These are incredible."

From across the room Jack looked from me to Kal.

"Have you tried using them yet?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I haven't had a chance. We were on a mission yesterday."

Jack stared at the length of metal coil in his hand. "What are you doing today?"

"We were going to spend the day in Metropolis," I replied, watching him closely. "Why?"

A wry grin spread across his face. "So you don't have any team related duties today?"

I looked over at Kal who shook his head. "We do not."

"Great!" Jack cried, leaping out of the armchair, whip clutched in his hand. "You two are coming with me!"

Kal and I rose more slowly off the couch as he rushed out of the room, into the kitchen.

"Where exactly are we going?" I called.

Jack peered around the corner at me, adjusting his glasses, still grinning. "Somewhere secluded. You're going to show me if these work or not!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Jack is the most qualified to help you understand your new weapons," Kaldur said as we walked towards the hallway that led to the front door. "And to help you understand your powers."

"Well said Kaldur," Jack called from the kitchen.

I looked up at him. "Well said Kaldur," I repeated teasingly, nudging him in the side.

He laughed. "And I would like to see how they work as well."

"And why's that?" I asked, pulling on my boots.

"Canary has suggested that we begin creating maneuvers that can be executed by two or more team members," Kal said. "With an idea of how you will be fighting we can use it to our advantage."

I smiled. "That is brilliant."

Jack, a satchel slung over his shoulder, walked down the hall twirling his car keys around his finger. "Ready to go?"

A few minutes later the three of us were walking out into the bright Metropolis morning. Jack nodded to the doorman. He was older, probably in his late sixties, with a receding gray hairline and expanding waistline.

"Morning, Dr. Miller," the man said with a smile.

Jack grinned and gave him a small wave as the man held open the door. "Morning, Pete. Have you met my goddaughter, Cay?"

Pete shook his head, still smiling. "I don't believe I have." He looked past Jack to me. "Nice to meet you, Cay."

"You too," I said, flashing him a brief smile.

"Have a good day, Dr. Miller," Pete continued, turning back to Jack and pulling open the door for us.

Hefting the satchel onto his shoulder Jack grinned broadly. "You too Pete."

* * *

Half an hour later I was standing in the middle of a wooded area, whip in hand as Kal and Jack stood back.

"So, just… what do I do?" I asked, staring at the weapon in my hand.

Jack crossed his arms. "Well, what do you normally do when you use the baton?"

I frowned. "Really? No instructions at all?"

"Well, I didn't design them!" Jack cried. "It'll just be a trial and error thing. Produce your gel and see what happens!"

I nodded. After a moment I felt the gel collecting on my skin.

"You might want to light it too," Jack added. "So we can see what's going on."

"Okay."

Still holding the whip, I tried to drag the rings on either hand across one another. I was difficult, but the materials sparked and my hands were engulfed in flames.

"Impressive, right?" Jack said to Kaldur.

"Yes," Kal replied.

I grinned as the flaming gel shot up the length of the whip. It was almost instantaneous and it really surprised me. I looked over at Jack.

"Was that how it's supposed to work?"

Jack stared back, his face lighting up with excitement. "That was amazing. I kind of thought that was how it would work, but it should be impossible. The gel shouldn't be able to climb that length at all, let alone that fast." He paused, trying to gather himself. "Cay do you realize what this means?"

I shook my head. It was a cool thing to have and it allowed me to use my gel as a mid range weapon. "What does it mean Jack?"

"It means that someone has perfected the designs I proposed sixteen years ago," he said, still staring at the blazing whip that lay across the dirt. "Try hitting that tree!"

I looked to the little sapling he was pointing at. "What?"

"Wrap it around that tree!" Jack said excitedly.

The whip handle was heavy in my hand as I brought my arm up. The whip slithered along the ground towards me. Only ever having seen a bull whipped used on TV I did my best to imitate the motion. It worked, kind of. The end of the whip snaked through the air, wrapping itself around the tree's twig-like trunk.

Jack whooped as the flames licked at the bark. "That was great!"

I grinned and tugged on the handle but the whip held fast to the tree. I pulled harder, leaning all my weight into it. "It won't let go," I complained.

"Try taking a step towards it," Jack suggested. "It should just fall off if the length goes slack."

I did as he said and the whip uncoiled from the tree, falling to the ground where it continued to smolder.

"Wow, I suck," I said, ceasing the production of the flames.

The whip extinguished itself with a pitiful sputter as I turned to Jack and Kaldur.

"I think I'll need to work on that," I continued.

Jack was still ecstatic despite my obvious ineptitude in handling the whip. "The fact that it actually works is amazing! I can't believe it! If I can reproduce that material, or something like it, I can make you a whole arsenal of weapons and tech. Think of the possibilities," he sighed. "I'll have to revisit my old files."

"Wow, Jack, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were excited," I laughed, walking up to them.

He shook his head, still smiling. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were making fun of me. The way this lets you utilize the gel is, well, it's brilliant. You'll just have to work on your technique and everything will be golden!"

"Your skills will improve," Kal added as the three of us walked back to the road where Jack had parked his car. "It will just take time. As all things do."

"Yeah, I know," I said, flashing him a smile.

As we approached the car Jack looked from me to Kaldur, grinning.

"So, what are you two doing after this? Going back to the Cave to do super secret hero things?" he asked, unlocking the doors.

I opened the passenger door and slid to the middle of the bench seat as Kal followed, sitting closer to the window. As Jack joined us, I shrugged.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," I said solemnly. "We're involved in some really secret stuff."

Jack laughed. "So you do have time for lunch then?"

I looked to Kal. "Do you mind if Jack comes with us for lunch?"

"Of course not," Kal said, shaking his head. "It would be an honor."

"Oh, I like him," Jack laughed. "Cay, you can keep him."

"Jack!" I protested, the color rising in my cheeks.

"What? Did you think I didn't notice?" He rolled his eyes as the car pulled away from the side of the road. "You two are about as subtle as a train wreck. Cute, but… yeah, not subtle at all. Not that train wrecks are cute or anything… but you see my point."

"Gee, thanks," I grumbled.

Kal was trying, and failing, to keep a straight face when I looked over at him. I shot him a questioning look.

He shook his head and rested his hand on mine. "Nothing."

* * *

"I'm sorry about that," I said as Kal and I walked out the entrance to Jack's apartment building.

Kal shook his head as we turned to walk down the street. "Do not worry, I actually found it to be quite enjoyable. Jack is very interesting."

"You know he was just showing off," I laughed. "Dr. Miller is a bit of an egotist I'm afraid."

"He is proud of his work," Kal replied, "and proud of you."

I glanced sideways at him. "You think?"

He nodded. "He has every reason to be."

"I haven't done anything to be proud of yet," I said with a laugh. "But I think I'm on my way."

Kal remained silent as we stopped at a cross walk, waiting for the light to turn.

"You have shown yourself to be a valuable teammate," he said slowly as the traffic paused to let us cross the street, "and an invaluable friend. Robbed of your memories, without powers, you did your best to save me in Bialya. Cay, Jack is right to be proud of you."

My face flushed. "I—"

"You will try and deny it," Kal interrupted with a laugh. "But you cannot, it is all true."

"What I was going to say," I said, casting him a sideways glance, "was that I saved you because you were cute."

"Is that so?" he laughed. "For no other reason?"

I shook my head solemnly as I took his hand in mine.

"That was the only reason," I continued teasingly. "You were just too good looking to leave in the desert."

He shot me a smug look. "Then Jack can at least be proud of your good taste."

"That he can," I conceded with a grin as I quickened my pace. "C'mon, we should get back to the Cave. Megan and Conner will need the notes from the classes they missed. It was only one day, but I'm sure they'll still want them."

"Then we should not keep them waiting," he agreed, keeping pace with me.

"Well…" I looked over at him and slowed to a near stop. "We don't have to rush back. I mean, the notes aren't going anywhere."

Kaldur laughed. "I suppose not."

Our route back to the transporter was far longer than it should have been.


	15. Instigate

"Cay we're going to be late!"

I pulled my sweater on over my head as I stumbled out into the hallway. "I'm ready!"

"Don't you need your backpack?" Conner asked.

"Oh, right, thanks!" I laughed and grabbed it off the floor inside my door.

"I like your sweater Cay," Megan said as the three of us walked down the hallway.

"Thanks," I replied. "Did you change your skirt?"

Megan grinned and nodded. "Purple today!"

Conner glanced from Megan to me and back again. "Aren't you going to compliment my shirt?"

I laughed again. "You only have one shirt and you wear it every day!"

He shook his head. "I have at least seven copies of this shirt. I don't wear the same shirt every day. That would be gross."

Megan tittered with laughter as I shook my head.

"We really need to take you shopping."

Conner looked down at his plain, black shirt. "You don't like my shirt?"

"It's very nice," I said as we exited the Cave. "But you need a little variety."

"We could go to the mall sometime this week," Megan suggested.

Conner shot her a questioning glance. "Do you think I should buy more clothes?"

"You can wear whatever you like," she replied, placing her hand on his arm. "I just want Cay to take me to the places she used to shop. I can get ideas for my clothes!"

"Oh, okay." Conner smiled slightly.

I grinned as the two of them stared at one another, smiling goofily. They had been acting weird since our mission at Belle Reve. I hadn't asked, but I was pretty sure something was going on between the two of them. The three of us walked through Happy Harbor, but as the school came into sight I realized I had left my math binder on the kitchen counter. I stopped in my tracks as I felt my stomach drop. Megan turned to me with a questioning expression.

"I think I left one of my binders back at the Cave," I said, rummaging through my backpack. When I found nothing that resembled my binder I sighed. "I'll meet you guys in first period. I told Wendy I would give her notes back today."

"Oh, okay," Megan said uncertainly, "are you sure—"

"Nah, I'm good," I interrupted. "You two go. I'll be back in no time."

I turned back towards the Cave and took off at a run. I had fifteen minutes, judging by the time on the town's clock tower. Fortunately, over my time with the team I had gotten faster and fitter. I would miss homeroom but I could be back in time for first period.

As I reached the outskirts of Happy Harbor I caught sight of a familiar figure near the power plant.

"Kal!" I called with a smile.

He waved back and the two of us made our way towards one another. As I got closer to him I realized he was carrying my binder.

"I believe you may need this," he said handing me my binder.

"Thanks, I was just on my way back to get it."

The two of us stood there, staring at each other until he cleared his throat. "I should return to the Cave."

"Oh, right. I should get back to school." I shouldered my backpack and tucked my binder under my arm.

He took a step towards me. "Unless, of course, you would like some company."

I grinned. "I always appreciate your company."

Falling into step beside me the two of us walked slowly back towards Happy Harbor.

"I have been contemplating alerting Red Tornado to the possible presence of the mole on the team," he said after a moment.

I nodded as he looked at me questioningly.

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"For what you should tell Tornado?" I shrugged. "I guess… just tell him about the mission we went on to help Roy. Is that what you were thinking?"

"Yes," he replied, nodding.

"Well then there you go! You've got a handle on it." I paused as he stared at the ground. Something was still bothering him. "Red Tornado will know what to do. Don't worry about it."

He smiled slightly. "I suppose I should have alerted him earlier."

"What's done is done." I nudged him in the arm with my elbow. "You can't change it so don't worry about it."

Staying silent he nodded.

I grinned reassuringly. "In all likelihood Sportsmaster was lying about the mole. Kal, do you really think that anyone on the team could betray us? Betray the League?"

He remained silent as we rounded the final turn and the high school came into view.

"Kal?" I shot him a worried look.

"I do not believe that any member of the team has betrayed us," he said slowly.

I sighed and adjusted my back pack straps. We were nearing the school and the imminent removal of Kaldur from my immediate surroundings was doing little to brighten my mood.

"I agree," I said offhandedly.

Kal nodded as we stopped at the steps of the school.

"See you later then?" I sighed, mounting the first couple of steps towards the doors.

"Of course. Conner has informed me that you have organized a movie night with Megan," he replied.

"Yes, I meant to tell you about that," I laughed. "Completely slipped my mind. It'll be fun. Wally's bringing some of his favorites as well. We'll be set for the night." I paused. "I don't know about Artemis and Robin though. I haven't heard from them in a while."

"Red Tornado assures me that they will be coming to the Cave tonight," Kal said.

"Good. It's been a while since the whole team has been together."

He nodded as the bell signaling the end of homeroom rang. "It has been. Should you be going to class?"

I shot a glance back over my shoulder. "I really should." I flashed him a smile. "Thanks again for bringing my binder."

"It was no trouble."

"Oh, of course not," I snorted. "Walking all the way down from the Cave to bring me my binder was in no way an inconvenience to you."

He shook his head. "Have a good day Cay."

I grinned as I reached the top step. "Well, I got to skip homeroom and see you so I don't see how it could really get any better."

Kal just laughed.

"I'll see you later 'kay?" I said, heaving open the heavy wooden door.

He nodded and I slipped into the school's foyer. Smiling to myself I joined the throng of teenagers slowly filing down the hallway. Megan and Conner would most likely already be at our first class.

However, short minutes later as I walked into the classroom their seats were empty. Wondering where they were I took up my own seat.

"Hey Cay!"

I turned around to see Wendy and Karen, a cheerleading friend of Megan's, sitting in the pair of desks behind me.

"Hey," I greeted. "Have you guys seen Megan and Conner?"

Wendy shook her head. "Not today, sorry."

"Weird, I wonder where they've gone," I muttered.

Karen chuckled. "No, what's weird is how you weren't in homeroom today."

"You're in my homeroom?" I asked, surprised.

Rolling her eyes she nodded. "You sit two seats in front of me."

"I never noticed!" I laughed. "Sorry."

"I don't think it's that weird," Wendy said slyly. "I mean, she had a good reason…"

"You're right, she did," Karen agreed.

I stared at the two of them blankly. "I'm not following."

Karen crossed her arms on the desk in front of her as she grinned. "Girl, we saw you out in front of the school. Along with your friend."

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. "Oh."

"Oh," Wendy echoed, grinning. "So, where'd you meet him? Metropolis?"

"Who cares where he came from," Karen snorted. "Are you two friends or…"

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Karen you already have—"

"You can never have too many," Karen said matter of factly. "So, Cay, you gonna sit there all red faced or are you gonna give us the dirt on him?"

"Well," I said, clearing my throat, "he's a friend—"

"Not your boyfriend?" Wendy questioned.

"Pft, you'd be crazy not to snap that boy up," Karen quipped. Catching sight of my pained expression she narrowed her eyes. "You have right?"

"Maybe?" I said helplessly. "I don't really know—"

Karen leaned back in her chair sighing theatrically. "Cay, you're crazy. Wendy, are you hearing this? Tell her she's crazy."

"Oh yeah," Wendy said teasingly. "You're crazy. Completely insane."

"But I'm working on it!" I defended.

"You know what would be a great idea?" Karen said, still lounging in her chair. "Asking him to come with you to the Halloween dance."

"Oh, good idea!" Wendy said enthusiastically. "I'm on the organizing committee. It's gonna be really great this year!"

"I guess I could—"

"Cay!"

Relieved to have a reason to turn away from them I shot a glance towards the door of the classroom to see Megan and Conner walking in. Our teacher, Mr. Carr, walked in behind them and shut the door.

"Alright everyone, take your seats," he said as Megan and Conner slid into the seats on either side of me. "Today we dive into the invigorating topic of Bialyan politics."

The class groaned as he laughed. "C'mon, it's not that bad. Queen Bee is crazy enough to make this lecture almost interesting!"

He began his lecture detailing the history of the small state, most of which I already knew. I ended up drowning out most of his lecture. I knew all the material he was covering from previous classes I had taken in Metropolis. There was something more pressing on my mind. My memories, or certain lack thereof, had been a constant, nagging concern in my mind since I had miraculously reappeared in the desert outside of Bialyan borders and woken up back at the Cave.

The things the Leaguers had found me with, my ridiculously quick healing wound, none of it made any sense. Well, Tess' whole plan didn't make much sense to be honest. But her whole insanity thing was enough to explain that. But she obviously didn't think that I would come back. Yet I had. Neither Tornado or Canary had said a word to me about any of it. Not that I had asked them about it. I probably should have but what would they say?

I had a feeling the League had no idea what to make of me or what to do with me. Regardless, I needed to figure out what had happened. In the process I hoped to regain my memory. I knew it was important. If it wasn't, why would someone have made me forget it in the first place?

* * *

School dragged on for what seemed like a lot longer than five periods. I was bored to death by the end of our biology class and escaped into a college information seminar just to get out of my last English class. After that I met up with Megan and Conner and we made our way back to the Cave.

I left the two of them in the garage and made my way back to my room. Outside of the kitchen I passed the sphere as it rolled down the hallway. It beeped in what I assumed was a greeting and I gave it a pat with my free hand and continued towards my room. Its light flashed as it continued down to the garage where it would patiently wait for Megan and Conner to stop staring into one another's eyes long enough to pay it some attention.

Once in my room I dropped my bag on the new desk Jack had bought me and I collapsed onto the bed.

I glanced at my cell phone's display. I still had an hour until the rest of the team was supposed to arrive. I was exhausted. What could a little nap hurt?

* * *

I was awakened by an explosion that rocked the mountain. My eyes snapped open as I rolled off the bed and onto my hands and knees, groping for something, anything to defend myself with. My hands found the twin handles of my whips and I pulled them off the night stand.

In a second I was on my feet with the gel coating my hands and weapons ablaze. A second explosion, smaller than the first made the ground tremble as I moved towards my door. Cracking it open I surveyed the hallway. There was nothing unusual so I slipped out, whips trailing behind me, scorching the floor.

Staying close to the wall I moved down the hall towards the garage. Megan and Conner were working on his bike and I had a hunch, from the second explosion, that that was where the trouble was. The lights flickered a few times as the floor rocked with the occasional aftershock.

After almost ten minutes of carefully traversing the hallways I approached the door to the garage, which was blown off whatever controlled it from opening and closing. I paused, listening. If there was something in there, I didn't want to go in unprepared.

"Kaldur how is she?" I heard Conner shout.

I shouldered my way through the door, if the team was inside then I was where I was supposed to be. Regardless of the danger that was most likely waiting.

What I saw made my breath catch in my throat. The garage was destroyed. Wally, who must have arrived while I was sleeping, and Conner were encased in some sort of metal on the garage floor. Wally wasn't moving, but Conner was struggling against his restraints. Megan and Kaldur were nowhere to be seen.

"Cay!" Conner exclaimed, catching sight of me. "Where were you?"

I raced over to him and Wally, despite the accusatory tone of his voice.

"What happened?" I demanded, extinguishing my hands and running them over the material that kept them trapped. It was cool, metallic; as if the floor had been reformed around them.

"Androids, two of them," Conner spat. "They've trapped M'gann."

"Androids?" I questioned, turning my attention to Wally. I could feel a pulse beneath my fingers as I rested them against his neck. He was alive. That was something.

Conner jerked his head towards the elevated platform on the left of the garage. "Help M'gann!"

I looked from Wally to him. I could have tried to melt the metal that surrounded them, but I probably would have killed Wally. Conner would have survived, but I didn't know how long it would take. Or where the androids had gone.

Or when they would be back.

I left the two of them there, whips in hand I began mounting the stairs of the platform two at a time. Reaching the top of the platform the breath rushed from my lungs for a second time. Kal and Megan were trapped inside a cage of fire.

"Kaldur! Megan!" I cried, rushing up to them.

"Cay," Kal gasped. "You are alright?"

I nodded and motioned to Megan. "What happened?"

"We were attacked," he replied, cradling Megan close to him, away from the flames, "by two androids reminiscent of Red Tornado; one in control of fire, the other water."

"Where did they go?" I said quickly.

"I do not know. Cay, you must get out."

I ignored his last comment. Instead I reached out and moved my hand through the flames. The cage was constructed of nothing but fire. Nothing supporting it, and nothing fueling it. I couldn't understand how it continued to burn.

"Cay," Kaldur said quietly.

Again, I ignored him. I had to get them out. I tried putting both hands into the flaming bars, but the flames simply moved around them.

"Cay!"

I met his gaze.

"You must get out," he implored, "and alert the League."

I shook my head. "Neither of you will last that long."

"We will persevere."

I set my jaw. "No."

"Cay—"

"Stop distracting me and let me think!" I snapped, rocking back onto my heels. "I'm not going anywhere."

His eyes never left my face as I tried to come up with a way to get them both out. I couldn't control the fire but I might be able to change the shape of the cage, even create an opening. If I gave it something more it could more readily burn.

The gel coating my hands, I tried to pass them through the bars again. It didn't work. The construct held firm. So much for my apparent stroke of genius.

"Cay," Kal said again.

"There has to be some way to get you out." I looked around desperately when a strange metallic clanging reached my ears.

"They have returned," Kal hissed. "You must—"

Whatever else he had to say was lost as I was thrown through the air by a column of flame. I hit the wall behind the cage with a dull thud. The air knocked from my body I gasped for breath as I struggled to my feet. I still had one whip clenched in my hand; the other had skittered off the ledge of the platform. The gel on my hands was long gone, consumed by the android's flames. I cursed silently.

Standing at the top of the stairs was one of the androids. Kal had been right, she was very similar to Red Tornado. But she was missing the arrow on her forehead and her body was more petite, more feminine.

For a moment the two of us stared at one another. My whole body tense I waited for her to make a move. But she didn't. Fire licked at her hands but she remained where she was. Then I heard heavy footsteps coming down the hallway behind me.

I shot a desperate look at Kaldur and Megan's cage. I couldn't leave them. But against two androids I didn't have a chance; especially not if I tried to take them on in a scenario like the one that had presented itself. I would only succeed in getting myself killed. And I couldn't help anyone if I was dead.

The footsteps behind me were getting closer, it was then or never. I had to retreat.

Coiling my whip around my wrist I made a mad dash towards the stairs. The female android moved to stop me, fire roaring to life around her and moving en masse to block my route.

I ploughed through the inferno, tripping down the first couple stairs before regaining my footing and charging down to the garage floor. Conner was shouting at me and I caught sight of Wally's head snap up as I shot past them.

I made it to the doorway leading to our rooms as a wall of water slammed into me from behind. It swept me down the hallway, depositing me outside the kitchen. I leapt to my feet, using the wall to steady myself as I slipped on the slick floor.

The metallic clanking of the androids' footsteps were getting closer. I careened through the kitchen and took turn after turn until I found myself in the medical bay. I slammed the door behind me, and backed towards the corner.

Letting myself slide to the floor I dropped my head into my hands. My ribs ached with each breath I took as I tried to get a handle on what was going on. The entire team had been taken out, yet somehow I had avoided capture. I didn't know what to do. Then I realized that the entire team wasn't in the Cave. Artemis and Robin had been away at school. My communicator was in my room, but if I could get to it I could contact them.

"There has to be a way," I muttered to myself. "I can do this."

I don't know how long I was there, hiding. Trying to figure out how to avoid the androids and rescue my teammates. It seemed like an eternity. I waited and waited, hoping for a perfect moment that would never come.

* * *

It wasn't until the androids hijacked the intercom to call out Artemis, Robin and I that I even realized I wasn't alone. It was a stupid decision but instead of trying to find them I decided to make my way back to the garage. I was hoping that they would distract the androids long enough that I could at least free some of our teammates.

Taking a deep breath I took off down the hallway. If I could get even one other member of the team out maybe we would have a chance at stopping the androids. Maybe we would have a chance at saving our team. At least, that's what I thought. But I underestimated my opponents. Or maybe I overestimated myself. Either way, things didn't turn out as I planned.

It took me less than a minute to reach the garage. As I slipped inside, Conner caught sight of me.

"Cay! You're—" Conner began.

"—alive and kicking!" Wally interrupted with a grin.

I was relieved to see him awake and as I slid to a stop beside them I nodded. "Artemis and Robin are here somewhere too. We need to help them."

Wally looked down at the metal casing he was trapped in. "Well, if you've got any ideas, I'm all ears."

I glanced from him to Conner.

"I'm not sure about you, but I think I can melt Conner out of his metal shell. Then he could break you out—"

"Help M'gann," Conner insisted. "She's dying!"

"I tried that," I replied, trying to keep my voice calm. "I can't get her and Kal out by myself. I need someone to watch my back while I try and figure out that cage."

Wally looked from Conner to me. "Then Supey's the guy. Go for it Cay."

Conner was still glaring at me. "Conner, I can't do this on my own. You'll be more helpful to me than Megan or Kaldur. They've both been weakened by the fire. We can get them out as soon as you're free."

Wally cast a worried glance over my shoulder. "You better hurry up. Those droids won't be gone for long."

I nodded and knelt down next to Conner, the flames on my arms leaping to life as I dragged the rings across one another. I put my hands on the cool metal surface and focused on producing as much gel as I could on my hands.

Five minutes later I hadn't made much progress. The metal just wasn't melting, and Conner was being extremely obnoxious by insisting with every other breath that I should go and save Megan.

"Enough!" I finally snapped. I ceased the production of the gel and stepped back.

"Well it's obviously not working!" Conner hissed back, glaring at me.

I balled my hands into fists. It wasn't working, but it should have. "It would if you would give me time! Whatever this is, the heat I'm producing just isn't enough."

"Then produce more!"

"Cay, move!" Wally cried.

I spun around as a wall of water slammed into me, picking me up off my feet. A scream caught in my throat as I inhaled a foul tasting mouthful of water before connecting painfully with the garage wall. And that was the last thing I remembered.

* * *

When I next opened my eyes the team, along with the majority of the Justice League, was scattered around the Cave. I was lying on the ground next to Kal and soon found myself staring up into his worried face. I couldn't understand what was going on. My memory was hazy and the pain lacing its way up my side and down my right arm wasn't helping me concentrate.

"You are alright?" Kal asked.

I sat up, probably too quickly as the room spun for a few seconds, and nodded. "What happened?"

From behind me I heard Conner snort. "The Reds."

"Waterworks threw you into the wall, knocked you out," Wally added, walking up to Kal and I. "After that Robin and Artemis shut down their systems with an EMP. They were working on getting us out of that metal when Red Tornado showed up."

"It appears that Red Tornado was in league with the two androids all along," Kal continued. "He attacked the team before fleeing the Cave."

I stared at him in shock. "No way."

"The League is here to repair the Cave's systems," he said gesturing vaguely to the wreckage around us. "But for now, come." He offered me his hand. "I do not believe the floor to be very comfortable."

I couldn't help but smile slightly as I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. The pain in my side remained constant and I shuffled along next to him as we began walking towards the kitchen.

"I alerted the wrong Leaguer," Kal said quietly, stopping a few steps away from the kitchen door.

I looked over at him but he avoided my gaze, staring instead at the ground.

"That doesn't mean that any of this is your fault," I insisted. "There was no way of knowing—"

"I know," he said quickly. "But I feel I should have done more."

"Kal, there's nothing anyone can do about it now. Have you talked to Batman about it?"

He shook his head. "He has been busy."

"Then we should find him…" I trailed off as Megan walked out of the kitchen. "As soon as we can."

"Cay!" she cried, floating towards us. "You're awake!"

I nodded. "Yeah, how're you?"

Shrugging she landed lightly before us. "I'm okay."

"And the rest of the team?"

"All in the briefing room," she replied, turning and walking back towards the door. "Come on, if you're hungry there's food."

* * *

And for the next twenty four hours, or thereabouts, the League worked on repairing the Cave.

The androids had destroyed everything. My room was gone, along with all of my father's research that I had never gotten around to reading. All that had survived the attack were my clothes and the creepy collection of armor I had acquired. Megan and I had spent the morning reorganizing my clothes and by the time we walked into the kitchen the entire team had assembled.

Wally, Robin, Artemis and Conner were sitting at what remained of the kitchen counter, and Megan joined them as I stopped a few steps away next to Kaldur.

"Morning," he said offhandedly.

"Same to you," I replied.

Batman was talking with Green Arrow on the opposite side of the room. The two of them abruptly cut off their conversation and looked over to Kal and I. Green Arrow spun on his heel as Batman walked towards us.

I exchanged a glance with Kal. Batman did not look at all pleased. Of course, that may have had something to do with the fact all of us were almost killed the day before. Or maybe it was his batsuit was too tight. Really, either was a viable explanation.

"Ignis," Batman greeted. "Aqualad."

"Batman," Kal said, his voice low. "Ignis and I have information regarding the attack on the Cave." He paused. "Information the team is not privy to."

Batman looked from me to Kal. "Come with me."

The two of us stepped forward.

"Just Aqualad," he added.

I stopped in my tracks as Kal continued forward. Shaking my head slightly I made my way over to the rest of the team and took a seat at the counter. Seated between Megan and Robin I cradled my head in my hands.

"Are you alright Cay?" Megan asked, placing a hand on my back.

I nodded. "Just tired. And beaten black and blue."

"Well, if you're anything like Wally, eat something, you'll feel better," Artemis advised.

I raised my head as Green Arrow walked away, leaving Wally with a heaping bowl of pretzels. Noticing me he pushed the bowl across the table.

"Wan' thum?" he asked, pretzel crumbs spraying across the countertop before him.

I shook my head and pushed it back towards him. "Thanks though."

Leaning back in my chair I noticed Conner staring intently at Batman and Kaldur. As the seconds ticked by his expression grew increasingly stormy.

I looked at him intently. "Conner are y—"

The words caught in my throat as he leapt across the room, grabbing Kaldur by the straps of his backpack and slamming him up against the wall.

"You knew?" he roared.

I was on my feet before I knew what I was doing. "Conner put him down!"

He glanced back over his shoulder. "He knew there was a mole and said nothing!"

In a few short steps I was standing behind them.

"Put him down!" I ordered again as Megan joined me.

"Conner!" she cried.

"That android and his crazy family nearly killed M'gann!" Conner shouted, glaring at me.

"We all almost died!" I howled in frustration. "I don't know if you noticed but Kal was right up there with Megan the whole time!"

Dropping Kaldur Conner turned to me. I took a step back. I had never seen him so angry.

"And what did he do?" he hissed. "Nothing!"

I balled my hands into fists. "Not for lack of trying."

"He knew we had a traitor among us."

With nothing more to say to me Conner turned back to Kal as the rest of the team converged on us.

"You knew?" Robin said accusingly.

"And you didn't tell us?" Wally interjected.

His gaze fixed on Conner's face Kaldur shook his head. "I sought to protect the team from—"

"Protect us from what?" Artemis questioned, her voice tight. "Knowledge that might have saved our lives?"

Conner turned to Megan. "You almost died."

"We all almost died!" Everyone turned to look at me. I took a deep breath and ploughed on. "Listen to yourselves!" I cried. "This is ridiculous! Just because—"

"Listen to you," Artemis retorted, cutting me off. "Aren't you the least bit angry that he kept this from us? Those _things_ got in here because of him!"

"Firstly," I replied heatedly, "we don't know how they got in." She opened her mouth to interrupt. "Secondly, would any of us have done any different?"

"Yes," Wally put in. "We're a team."

I stared at him uncomprehendingly. "That could have possibly been compromised!"

"We've known each other for years!" he replied, gesturing from himself to Robin. "What you're saying is he didn't tell us because he thought _we_ were moles?"

"Stop twisting what I say," I snapped. "You know that's not what I mean."

"Why are you standing up for him at all?" Robin asked, apparently exasperated by the fact I was the only one not joining the hate on Kal party.

"Because he's our leader." I paused, not sure if continuing was in my best interest.

The team continued to stare at me.

"And because I knew too," I added.

Wally, Artemis and Robin's jaws dropped. Conner just continued looking angry.

"You told her!" Robin cried.

Kal made to respond but Wally beat him to it.

"Dude!"

I narrowed my eyes. "The only reason I know—"

"Enough."

We all turned to Batman. His eyes narrowed and his jaw set, he did not look pleased.

"With Red Tornado… missing, the team will now be overseen by rotating supervisors," he went on when it was clear everyone was paying attention. "Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift."

From behind him a tall, muscular, dark haired man stepped forward. I had seen him on the news once or twice before. Red suit, ridiculous cape, he was hard to forget.

"I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys," he said with a smile.

Megan shot me a sidelong glance as Wally took a step towards me.

"You were saying?" he said shortly.

I ignored him as Conner turned to Kaldur.

"After I dismantle Red Tornado you and I are gonna—"

He was cut off threat as Batman walked up to them.

"Red Tornado is a member of the Justice League," he said. "That makes him a League responsibility. You will leave him to us."

He turned and gestured to a recent newspaper article that appeared on the computer's holoscreen. "I have another assignment for this team."

"'Gotham Mayor attacked by guerilla gorilla'," Wally read as the article changed.

Robin stepped forward. "Batman, please. Tell me you're not sending us on this joke of a wild ape chase."

Batman stared back at him, his face impassive. "I never joke about the mission."

"I've checked the sources," he continued. "I've studied the patterns. Mayor Hill's is only the latest in a series of incidents." He looked to Kaldur. "Aqualad, you and your team will depart for India and check this out."

Kal nodded as the holoscreen powered down and Batman turned away. I turned on my heel, intent on running back to my room to change before we left. But not before I caught Wally shoulder his way past Kaldur muttering something about the team.

He watched them leave, obviously heading for the bioship bay before shooting me a pained glance.

"They're being immature jerks," I said bluntly.

He didn't respond but followed slowly after them as Robin appeared in the doorway. Kal halted in his tracks.

"Says the girl who nearly abandoned the team because she wanted to be 'normal' again," Robin sneered. "A little immature if you ask me."

I glared across the room at him. I could feel the eyes of all the present Leaguers on my back. Perfect. It took me a minute but as Robin turned to stalk away I found my voice.

"That was wrong," I said quietly, "and I know that now. So I'm trying my best to make it right."

Robin snorted. "Well, you're doing a bang up job."

"And who are you to call Kal out on keeping secrets?" I growled, stalking towards him. "You're the master of that. No one on the team even knows your real identity. You disappear for weeks without even telling us—"

"Cay, enough," Kaldur interrupted.

"But…" the protest died in my throat as Kal shook his head.

Robin uttered one more derisive snort before spinning on his heel and walking away.

I stared after him. Maybe it was wrong to call him out about the secret identity thing. I shook my head as I stomped out of the room. Either way, it was wrong of him to bring up my own personal fiasco. I had put it behind me and I thought the rest of the team had too. Apparently not.

* * *

Back in my room I changed into my suit, trying to put the exchange with Robin out of my mind, and gathering my two whips. I had thought that I would have to go looking through the wreckage of the garage for them but one of the members of the League, or maybe one of the team, had left them coiled neatly on my bed. I snapped them onto the belt at my waist; Jack had modified it the day after I acquired my new weapons so that I would have somewhere to keep them when I needed my hands free. I grabbed my mask and communicator before jogging out of the room.

I made it to the bioship bay in as Robin and Wally were walking up to the ramp. Captain Marvel swooped in from the garage and landed next to the ramp, smiling happily.

"You're coming with?" Robin asked as he landed beside them, shooting me a dirty look.

"Sure," he replied enthusiastically. "We'll have a blast."

He boarded the bioship as Robin turned to Wally.

"Translation, he blames us for Red Fiasco. He doesn't trust us," he said, his voice low.

Wally looked over his shoulder at Kaldur. "Big club."

And that was the point I knew it was going to be a very, very long flight to India.

* * *

The atmosphere in the bioship was tense, to say the least. I remained silent, as did the rest of the team, as we sped across the ocean towards our destination. The only one who seemed intent on making small talk was Captain Marvel.

He tried to start up a conversation with Robin and Wally, and when that failed moved on to Artemis and Megan.

I was sitting next to Kal, as apparently no one else wanted to; stewing over what had been said when Captain Marvel finally turned to me.

He grinned. "So, Ignis, you control fire? Sweet."

I shook my head. "I produce a flammable gel that I burn on the surface of my skin."

"That's even cooler!" he exclaimed.

I shrugged. Control of fire would have been way better than what I had at my disposal. Since the rest of the team had been kind of short with him I decided to keep the conversation going. It was better than sitting in silence.

"And what about you Captain?"

He looked puzzled. "What about me?"

I opened my mouth to ask him about his powers when Megan announced we had reached our destination.

"About time," Artemis grumbled, rising to her feet as cables descended from the ceiling above her and Robin.

Megan stood up from her seat as the rest of the team followed suit. "Opening hatches now."

I slipped my mask on as the two of them disappeared out the floor of the bioship into the jungle below. They secured a perimeter around the clearing as Megan brought the bioship gently back down to earth.

As the ramp slid down everyone else stood up from their seats. It revealed a darkened clearing. Robin and Artemis had secured the perimeter and were making their way towards us as we stepped out into the Indian jungle.

"Switch to stealth, and we'll review mission parameters," Kal said, stepping into the center of the clearing as the team surrounded him in a loose circle.

"Parameters? We don't need no stinkin' parameters," Wally snapped, pulling his goggles on.

Robin shot Kal a disdainful look. "It's recon we know what to do,"

Kal stepped forward. "Kid, Robin—"

"The three of us started this team because the League was keeping secrets from us," Robin interrupted angrily.

"Or did you forget that?" Wally questioned the sarcasm in his voice evident. "Just like you forgot to tell us about the mole."

With that they ran off. I looked to Kaldur who simply watched them go. I opened my mouth, ready to object to his letting them ignore our mission. We were a team; we should have been acting like one. However, Conner walked up beside Megan and broke the silence.

"C'mon, I'll keep you safe," he said, grabbing her arm.

She shrugged it off angrily and glared at him. From the look on Conner's face some sort of psychic exchange went down. Of course, it wasn't the first time. Over the past couple days I had noticed them doing it at school and back at the Cave. It hadn't bothered me then. But it was bothering me now.

"I just want to protect you," he said, a little taken aback as Megan crossed her arms.

He looked confused as Artemis stepped up beside Megan.

"Like Aqualad protected us?" she asked, pushing the tip of her bow into his chest. "We're not sure your protection or your patronizing is good for our health."

She and Megan, both looking incredibly angry turned to me. I gazed steadily back at them until Artemis shook her head.

"You're just as bad," she muttered, shouldering past me. "Thanks for nothing."

Megan followed her shooting me one last glance before disappearing into the forest.

"Why didn't you stop them?" Conner shouted, looking at Kaldur. "You're supposed to be in charge!"

"I am—"

Conner cut him off with a flip of his hand as he turned away and leapt off into the darkness.

"Um, did I miss the part where you actually said what the plan was?" Captain Marvel asked.

Kal just sighed as he turned to me.

"C'mon, let's get this done," I said, adjusting my whips at my belt, avoiding his gaze. "Lead the way."

He remained silent but nodded and turned to follow a winding game trail that led away from the clearing. I couldn't help but feel that maybe he had made the wrong decision as Captain Marvel fell into step beside me. Had I been wrong to agree with him? I had given the possibility of the mole plenty of thought.

"So, do we have a plan?" Captain Marvel asked, interrupting my train of thought.

Kal didn't turn around so I shrugged. "Investigate where Mayor Hill was attacked?"

Marvel nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, sounds good. I like the plan!"

The three of us walked on in silence. Captain Marvel kept pace beside me and after a few minutes I caught him looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Captain?" I asked.

"Nothing, nothing," he said hurriedly, gaze flitting to Kaldur's back.

I slowed my pace as Captain Marvel did the same.

"He's not usually like this," I said in a low tone.

Marvel nodded slowly. "What happened at the Cave was unfortunate."

"Yeah, well the team—" I stopped as Kal shot a glance back over his shoulder.

"Guess this is where Mayor Hill's monkey business went down," Marvel said, casting a glance around where we standing. There were shell casings scattered around the area of trampled foliage along with a collection of human and ape-shaped footprints.

Kneeling down I grimaced at the dark stains that spattered the ground. "Looks a little worse than 'monkey business'." I looked up at Kaldur. "What do you think?"

He stared off into the clearing that the bluff we were standing on overlooked.

I snapped my fingers, startling him out of his reverie. "Earth to Kaldur."

"I am sorry," he said apologetically, "my thoughts are—"

"Don't apologize," I interrupted. "What do you make of this?"

He made to respond but Captain Marvel turned away from us, his gaze resting intently on the forest opposite us.

"Captain?" I questioned. As soon as the word was out of my mouth a far off crashing reached my ears, followed by the bugle of an elephant.

A few moments later a pair of elephants crashed through the foliage before us. The bull's tusks glinted in the moonlight as his trunk swept towards me. Without thinking I threw myself backwards out of its path. Landing lightly on my feet I was forced back again as it charged forward bugling angrily.

"Enough of this," I muttered, grabbing the whips off my belt. I still wasn't as good with them as I would have liked to have been but that didn't matter. I was good enough. In scant seconds the gel coating my hands was alight and racing down the lengths of the whips.

The bull elephant didn't give them a second glance as its beady eyes fixed on me. I wasn't an expert on animals or anything but I was pretty sure that most of them, like the goons so often employed by our enemies, would run away when confronted by a girl that could light herself on fire. I set my jaw, ready to leap out of the way as it stomped the ground. Roaring a challenge the elephant charged once again but before he could reach me he was taken out by Captain Marvel.

He gave me a slight salute and a smile before being smacked out of the air by the enraged bull.

"Remove the collar!"

Kal's shout caught me off guard and it took me a moment to process his order. I hadn't even noticed the collar around the animal's neck. Whips in hand I advanced on the elephant as Captain Marvel pulled himself out of a tree trunk. When I was within range my right hand whip snaked up and wrapped around part of the collar. I grinned slightly to myself. Leaning away from the elephant I put all my weight into pulling the collar off the animal's neck. I had it in the bag.

Or so I thought. The elephant reared back, dragging me off my feet as Captain Marvel flew towards the collar.

"I got you Ignis!"

I couldn't respond. Gritting my teeth against the pain in my shoulders as the elephant swung me around like a ragdoll I tried to do something about removing the collar. The flames were further infuriating the elephant, but they had to be affecting the collar somehow so I kept them fueled. Just as I entertained the thought of letting go of the whip handle the collar snapped and I was sent flying back into the trees.

I crashed through the foliage and landed on my back, whips still in hand. Flexing my hands and rolling my shoulders in their sockets I sighed. Nothing was broken. I pushed myself up off the wet leaves that coated the forest floor as the two elephants sauntered back the way they had come, Kal having removed the other's collar.

"You are alright?"

I looked to my left to see him emerge from the bushes.

I nodded. "Yeah."

He offered me his hand and pulled me to my feet as Captain Marvel landed a few feet in front of us.

"Ignis, you're okay?"

The concern in his voice made me smile slightly. "Yes, thanks."

He looked visibly relieved as Kal and I stepped out to join him in the clearing we had fought the elephants in.

"Pretty sweet, the way you figured out the problem was the collars," Marvel said to Kal.

"But the collars indicated intelligence behind this attack," Kal replied. "The rest of the team may also be at risk."

"So someone is sending the animals out to attack people in the jungle?" I asked, turning to Captain Marvel.

He shrugged. "Maybe."

A sharp feedback sounded in my ear as Kal tried to contact the team through his ear piece.

Kal winced, apparently experiencing the same sound. "Comm is jammed."

"When is comm not jammed?" I muttered.

"And Miss Martian failed to establish a telepathic link before we split up," he continued.

"Actually," Captain Marvel interjected, "you let everyone split up before communications were set."

"They would not listen!"

I stared off into the jungle. Captain Marvel kind of had a point, but it wasn't my place to say.

"I guess," he continued. "But back at the Cave Batman stopped everyone from arguing with one word."

Kal crossed his arms. "Because Batman is… Batman."

I fought back a laugh that was rising in my throat. Circular logic is circular.

"Hey, you don't have to tell me," Marvel laughed. "When I first joined the League all he did was boss me around and it's hard not to take it personally. But I never disobeyed an order and that's probably what kept me alive."

"Batman takes command, he has to," Kal concluded. "For the good of the League. Thank you for helping me understand."

"Hey," Marvel said with a smug smile, "wisdom of Solomon."

_Aqualad, Ignis, can you hear me? _Megan's voice sounded in my head.

"Yes Miss Martian, report," Kal said.

Megan began to brief us on a pair of crocodiles that had attacked her and Artemis when a flash of color caught my eye. I spun to my right and scanned the foliage, waiting for whatever it was to move again. But nothing did and after a few seconds I shook my head and turned back to Kaldur and Captain Marvel.

Captain Marvel was staring off into the bushes when he shot a glance over his shoulder at Kal and I. "Cool, a tiger! I'll be right back!"

I took a step after him. "Hey!"

"Captain, wait!" Kal cried.

He disappeared into the jungle heedless to our shouts.

Kal shot me a sidelong glance. "Hey, speed of Mercury."

I couldn't help myself, I burst out laughing.

Recovering, I nodded in the direction Captain Marvel had gone. "Look, I'll follow him. You get in contact with the team."

He nodded. "Alright, be careful."

"When am I not?" I asked, right before smacking my forehead on a low hanging branch. "Ow."

He winced and took a step towards me.

"No, no, I'm good," I said. "Be back in a minute. He can't have gone far."

"I will have Miss Martian connect you to the team's mental link."

I nodded as I ducked under the tree branch and made my way through the forest. The foliage was thick and going was slow. I had to climb over fallen logs, fight through thick sheets of vines. Ahead of me I could hear something roar.

"That can't be good," I grunted, increasing my speed as much as I could.

_Link established_, Megan's voice sounded in my head as I shouldered through a particularly thick collection of vines.

_Should he really still be giving us orders?_ Artemis questioned. _And should you really be following them?_

I bristled. _Drop it Artemis, he's our leader and we're on a mission. You want to fight it out after go ahead, but right now..._

_ Listen please_, Kaldur pleaded.

_Oh good, Aqualad's voice in my head, I've so missed that._ Wally's tone just served to further irritate me.

_ Hey Kaldur, K.F. and I were attacked by giant vultures,_ Robin informed us. '_Course since we're moles you probably think we attacked ourselves._

_ If he did, he wouldn't tell you_, Artemis added.

_Superboy are you online or just pouting? _Megan asked bluntly.

_Busy,_ Conner replied, _call back later._

I slipped in between two trees and found myself in a clearing. There was a set of tiger prints in the soft ground as well as some prints that looked to be about Captain Marvel's size. They led to the middle of four pillars that reminded me of lightning rods.

_Kaldur—_

_ What gets me is how nonchalant he is about not telling us_, Wally interrupted.

_He should be chalant_, Robin agreed, _way chalant, extremely chalant._

"Aqualad!" I hollered. "C'mere!"

"On my way," came his response.

I knelt down in the middle of the four pillars. Drag marks, along with a set of monkey shaped footprints went from where I was kneeling off into the forest.

Kal knelt down next to me as the entire team took the opportunity to utilize the mental link. All their voices were deafening and I could barely think. Wally and Robin went on about their hurt feelings as Megan and Artemis discussed their own trust issues. I rubbed my temples as my head began to pound. They were too much.

"I can't even think," I said through gritted teeth.

_Enough._ Kaldur turned to the rightmost pillar and ripped it out of the ground. It sparked for a moment and then died.

I rocked back onto my heels, watching him quietly as the mental link immediately went silent.

_Captain Marvel has been captured and we must act as a team to save him, _he continued.

Wally snorted. _Under your leadership? I don't think so—_

_ This is not up for debate,_ Kaldur snapped. _You all chose me to lead. When this mission is over and you wish to select a new leader, I will happily step down. But until that time I am in command here._

He dropped the pillar and stomped off into the jungle. Rising up off the ground I fell into step behind him. After a few minutes of walking Robin made contact.

_K.F. and I've found a bunker._ he said. _Make your way towards the mountains. It's hard to miss. We're on the western side, overlooking what I think is the main door._

_ We are on our way, _Kal replied. _ Miss Martian, are you there?_

_ Here,_ she replied. _What do you need?_

_ Have you been able to contact Superboy?_

Megan was silent for a moment. _Last time I tried he wasn't responding, why?_

_ If we plan to storm this compound and rescue Captain Marvel we will need him with us, _Kal said. _Contact him if you can._

_ Will do, _she agreed.

Kal and I continued on in silence until we reached a rock face. I could see the top, but it was too far for either of us to jump.

"Give me a boost?" I said.

He nodded, standing next to the wall and cupping his hands before him.

I took a few steps back. "Try not to throw me too high."

Running forward I stepped into his hand and he vaulted me up high enough that I could grab the ledge. With quite a bit of effort on my part I heaved myself over the edge and up onto the bluff. I could see the compound in the distance.

"Here," I said, dropping down one of my whips down and grasping the handle with both hands. "Climb up."

Nodding again he began to shimmy up the length of the whip. It didn't take long for him to reach the top and soon both of us were moving towards the compound.

"You're oddly quiet," I said after a moment.

He shot me a sidelong glance. "Do you think it was wrong to withhold information regarding the possibility of a mole from the team?"

I bit the inside of my lip, unsure how to respond.

"You did what you thought was best for the team," I said finally. "And now you have to live with it. Right or wrong."

I paused as he dropped his gaze.

"But if you ask me," I continued. "I don't think the team would have taken the fact we might have had a mole well. They probably would have suspected one of the members of the team. Probably Artemis… or me."

"Perhaps that was Sportsmaster's plan all along," Kal said.

I shrugged. "Regardless, the team is once again under control and I have learned the valuable lesson that making you angry is dangerous. Especially if you're a metal pillar."

Kal chuckled. "The team was being most... troublesome."

I nodded and fell silent as we made our way through the leafy jungle. "Did you mean what you said? About stepping down?"

He sighed. "Yes."

"It won't come to that," I said, trying to sound like I believed what I was saying.

"I hope not."

_Aqualad,_ Megan interrupted, _I reached Conner. He's still back near the bioship._

_Superboy, how quickly can you catch up with us? _Kal questioned.

_Not long,_ Conner replied shortly.

I exchanged glances with Kal.

_Hang back until we have engaged whoever is guarding the compound_, he instructed._ There will undoubtedly be trouble. You will need to get us out._

_Fine._

* * *

We met the team, minus Conner, on a bluff overlooking the compound. Everyone was oddly silent, which suited me fine. Kal and I dropped down behind the cover provided by the foliage. Surrounding the compound were a series of really high tech looking street lamps, but other than that it looked relatively insecure. I thought we would be able to sneak in easily.

_I'll fly over_, Megan informed us.

_Negatory, _Wally said, adjusting the setting on his goggles, _the field extends like dome over the whole compound._

_Pylons are insulated,_ Robin said, fingers flying across the holoscreen at his wrist. _But one good shot could cause a momentary gap._

Artemis had notched an arrow. _I see a target._

I followed her gaze to a small control panel outside the door.

Kal stood up, surveying the team. _Then be ready to hit it_. _Be ready, all of you._

He made his way down the steep slope to the flat clearing the compound was in. He approached the field, tattoos glowing. And damn, he looked good. Which is probably the last thing I should have been thinking.

Placing his hands on the field, electricity flowed through his hands and into the field. I couldn't see anything but Wally, with his goggles, could. As soon as he spotted an opening he signaled Artemis who loosed her arrow.

It flashed past Kal's right ear and found its mark, turning off the force field. Kal waved us forward and we moved down the slope to join him.

As we approached the compound a single monkey appeared on the roof. I stopped in my tracks.

"Guys," I said warningly, but it was too late.

The monkey howled an alarm and the lights dotting the top of the compound began flashing red, as primate reinforcements jumped down from the roof.

I shot a sidelong glance at Kal who grabbed one of the monkeys closest to him and snapped the collar in his hands. "Remove their collars!"

I grunted as I was tackled by a particularly large monkey. It seemed so easy in theory. As the two of us rolled around on the ground I wrapped my fingers around its collar and pulled back as hard as I could. The monkey yelped as the collar gave way under my fingers. He quickly let go of me and fled back into the forest.

Turning back to the compound I caught sight of Wally bouncing off of the chest of a large gorilla wielding a machine gun. I drew my whips and set them ablaze, which drew his attention. Hefting his machine gun he pointed it at me as the barrel began to rotate.

Cursing my rotten luck I tore across the clearing as the spray of bullets from the gun chewed up the ground behind me.

"A little help!" I called.

Just as I ran out of running room the bullets stopped and I caught sight of the gorilla flying through the wall of the compound.

I sighed and jogged back over to the team. _Thanks Megan_.

_Welcome_, she replied.

As I followed the team through the opening she had made I saw one of the strangest things I had ever seen. A few feet away from a table where Captain Marvel was held down with a series of restraints, was a garbage can sized steel contraption with a brain suspended in a glass dome full of fluid. I stared at it for a moment. It turned away from Captain Marvel, the brain jiggling slightly in its dome.

"It's the Brain!" Wally exclaimed as we slid to a stop.

"Uh, I can see it's a brain," Artemis pointed out.

Wally rolled his eyes. "Not a brain, _the _Brain!"

"In zee flesh," the Brain said, his French accent only serving to further confuse me, "so to speak." He spun around to face the gorilla. "Mallah."

The gorilla, Mallah, nodded slightly and pressed a button on the remote he held in his hand.

Before any of us could react five pillars rose out of the ground and began crackling with electricity. My body went limp as I fell to the ground along with the rest of the team. My shoulder pinned painfully beneath me I tried uselessly to reposition myself. I had no control of my extremities.

_Miss Martian, Superboy, now!_

Whatever plan Kaldur had briefed the two of them on was news to me. Regardless, at his order Megan's eyes began to glow and the remote Mallah was holding slipped out of his grasped and flew over to where she was lying. With a beep the pillars powered down and I felt warmth flood back into my limbs. Conner and his new companion, a huge white wolf burst through the opposite wall as I rolled to my feet, rubbing my shoulder furiously.

The rest of the team moved in to engage the Brain and Mallah as I slipped back into the shadows and began to make my way over to where Captain Marvel was being held. Keeping a close eye on the tiger that was sprawled on the floor next to him I dropped down behind one of the Brain's supply cupboards as he fired a few poorly aimed laser blasts in my direction. Kal regained his attention as I went about removing Captain Marvel's collar.

"You got it?" he asked as I pulled at the contraption.

I shook my head as my eyes fell on the Brain's tray of implements. The buzz saw looked to my liking and I picked it up. "This might though."

Pressing what I assumed to be the on button the saw jumped to life in my hand. I grinned as it cut through the Captain's collar and he jumped to his feet.

"Thanks! Now, one good turn deserves another." He knelt down next to the tiger and pulled off its collar.

With that the team closed in on Mallah and the Brain. Robin, Artemis and Wally had relieved the hulking gorilla of his machine gun and he was looking mighty peeved about it. He roared a challenge as Conner stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.

"Try it," he said. "I hate monkeys."

From behind Mallah the Brain sighed. "No Mallah, this will not be our Waterloo."

As he said it the sides of his containment unit began to expand outwards, to the point where he looked even sillier.

"Au revoir, mes amis," he said darkly as a strange whirring noise began.

"Oh no," I muttered.

"Get down!" Wally shouted as Captain Marvel tackled me to the floor.

The lights went out as the buzzing sound the Brain was emitting ended. After a moment they flickered back on, revealing that both the Brain and Monsieur Mallah were gone.

"Wait… that big weapon thing was a giant light switch?" Wally asked, clearly perplexed.

Captain Marvel grinned sheepishly as he helped me to my feet. "Sorry about that."

I smiled. "Thanks Captain, don't worry about it."

"Are they gone?" I heard Kaldur ask Robin who was staring intently at the holoscreen of his wrist device.

"Yeah," he replied. "They're gone. Some sort of transporter the Brain must have built into his hardware."

Kal nodded. "Our mission is over, we should return to the bioship."

"No need," Megan said with a small smile. "She's already here."

Together we all moved out the hole in the wall and into the clearing in front of the compound. The bioship, as Megan had said, was waiting with the ramp down to take us home.

A few curious monkeys, still sporting inhibitor collars had made their way over to inspect the ship. As soon as they noticed us they approached in a group, hooting softly. Kal knelt down and one by one he removed their collars.

"Ignis, what do you think I should call him?"

I turned to see Captain Marvel scratching under the chin the tiger that he had liberated from the Brain's control.

"Oh, I don't know," I said, taking a step back as the tiger turned its attention to me. "Stripes?"

Marvel laughed as it butted its head into my thigh, nearly knocking me over. "I was thinking something a little more…" he paused. "How about Mr. Tawny!"

The tiger purred its agreement as I reluctantly petted its head.

"Sounds good," I agreed.

As Kaldur pulled the collar off the last monkey and it disappeared into the jungle the newly name Mr. Tawny made his way over to Captain Marvel.

"Is that the last of the collars?" he asked.

Mr. Tawny gave a throaty roar in response.

"And I can count on you to keep the other animals out of trouble?"

Again, Mr. Tawny responded with a low growl.

"Good," Captain Marvel concluded. "I'll be back for a visit. Promise."

With that the tiger bolted off into the jungle and Captain Marvel rose to his feet. I stared after Mr. Tawny. I couldn't decide which was stranger, the fact that he had just conversed with a tiger which clearly understood him or the fact that we had fought a brain and a machine gun wielding gorilla. Either way, it had been a weird night and I was ready to go home.

"Looks like we can leave," I said to Kal as he watched Megan, Wally and Conner brainstorming ideas for a name for the wolf that Conner apparently planned on keeping.

He sighed. "Yes."

"Look, I need to know, why did you keep the mole intel a secret?" Robin asked as Kal and I mounted the bioship's ramp.

I could hear the footsteps of the rest of the team behind us as Kal turned to face them. "The source of the tip was Sportsmaster."

Artemis' face went white. "What! You can't trust him!"

"I do not," Kal replied immediately. "It seemed possible, even likely that he was attempting to divide the team with false information."

"And given how this mission went," Robin continued, "he nearly succeeded. But you had to consider it might be true."

"And we did," I interjected, shooting him and Wally a meaningful glance. They avoided my gaze.

"Not wanting to alert the traitor we remained silent," Kal continued.

Robin dropped his gaze. "I hate to say it but… makes sense."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. Imagine if we had all acted like rational people and just had this conversation _before_ we went running off into the jungle.

"I am still prepared to step down—" Kal began.

"Which is probably the greatest lapse in judgment you've ever had," I stated bluntly. "All for keeping Kal as team leader."

The whole team raised their hands as I grinned at him.

"We couldn't ask for a better leader."

Robin grinned. "Well, for now," he said jokingly.

"Guess it's unanimous," Captain Marvel said, stepping up and offering Kal his hand to shake. "And Ignis hit the nail on the head; you're a good leader Aqualad."

"Thank you Captain," Kal said, taking his hand.

"No, thank you! Anyway, I'll see you later."

He turned to go as Kal took a step after him. "You are not coming back with us?"

Captain Marvel shook his head. "Nope, gotta fly!"

He took off before Kal could say another word and was soon nothing more than a speck on the horizon.

"Are you surprised?" I asked Kal as Megan and Conner mounted the bioship ramp.

He shot me a sidelong glance. "I was prepared to accept whatever the team decided."

"You look relieved."

"You could say that."

He turned and began to mount the bioship ramp.

"I meant what I said."

Looking back over his shoulder, a ghost of a smile on his face he nodded. "I know."

* * *

The flight back to Happy Harbor was uneventful. Artemis and Wally were bickering about the existence of gorilla lice as Conner stroked Wolf's head. Enthralled by the fact that he was going for what was essentially an elaborate car ride, every few minutes Wolf had to get up from his spot beside Conner and peer out the windshield of the bioship. And every now and again I got hit in the head as he swept his tail across the cabin.

"Conner," I said, after Wolf nearly knocked me out of my chair. "Control your beast!"

"Wolf, sit," he commanded.

The animal ignored him and instead came over to sniff Kaldur and me.

"Good boy Wolf," I said tiredly as he peered up at me with his big yellow eyes.

"Do you plan on keeping him in the Cave?" Kal asked Conner.

He nodded. "It's big enough."

"But the bioship isn't," I grunted as Wolf turned back to Conner and his tail swept over my head.

"C'mon Wolf, sit down," Conner said, patting the floor beside his chair.

Thankfully, Wolf obeyed and shimmied over to lie down on the proffered section of floor.

As I relaxed back into my seat I caught sight of Wally running his fingers through his hair. He noticed and looked down at his hands.

"What do gorilla lice even look like?"

I stared at him blankly. "Excuse me?'

"He put on the hat," Artemis stated, motioning to the red beret on Wally's lap.

"Well… he looked like a well groomed gorilla," I said.

Wally was inspecting his fingers when he looked up. "Is there even such a thing as gorilla lice?"

"You tell me," Artemis said slyly. "Is your head itchy?"

"No," Wally replied, narrowing his eyes. "There's no such thing as gorilla lice is there…?"

"It was fun while it lasted," Artemis sighed.

Wally picked the hat off his lap and dropped it on his head, all the while eyeing Artemis darkly and muttering under his breath about 'gorilla lice'.

I settled back into my seat and closed my eyes. Despite the overpowering odor of dog I was asleep in minutes.

* * *

**A/N****: **First off, I just want to thank everyone for being so patient! I realize it took me a really long time to update but I think it was worth it. Thanks to all who reviewed, favorited, etc. you guys are great! I've begun the next chapter and hopefully it will be up by the end of the month.


	16. Plan B

I was woken up a couple days after our mission in India to my phone ringing off my nightstand. I rolled over, hand groping for the device as I yawned widely. My hand closed around it as I lifted it to my ear, pressing the 'accept call' button.

"Hello?" I fell back into my pillow, phone still pressed against my ear.

"Cay! I hope I didn't wake you."

"Hi Jack," I said, recognizing his voice. I glanced at the clock. It read 8:36. So much for sleeping in. "What's up?"

"Well," he said, "I was just invited by the dean of my university to attend a brunch hosted to benefit his favorite charity."

I rolled out of bed, my feet hitting the tile with a dull smack. "That's nice."

He paused. "It's being held in Metropolis."

Trudging towards my bathroom I nodded. "Oh yeah…"

"It's in two days."

"Yup."

"Cay, have you realized why I phoned you?" he asked lightly.

I shook my head. "No."

He laughed. "I'll forgive you, it's early. For a teenager at least. Would you like to come to a swanky charity function with Amy and I? I'd like you to meet her."

"Of course I will," I said immediately. "Oh, but I'll have to talk to the team…"

"No, of course, of course," he replied. "But… there shouldn't be any problem, right?"

"I don't think so… why?"

He laughed. "Just have to R.S.V.P for three rather than two. Anyway, I'm late for work. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Make sure you wear something nice!"

"Which constitutes—" I heard the click of him hanging up. "—what?" I finished lamely.

I dropped the phone to my side, pausing in the doorway of my bathroom as I looked back towards my bed. What could another couple minutes hurt? It was the weekend, after all.

With a sigh I trudged back to my bed and collapsed onto the mattress. I tossed my phone onto the nightstand and closed my eyes.

Just as I began to drift off there was a pounding on my door, followed by a familiar laugh.

"Wake up, Cay!"

Rocketed back to consciousness, I groaned. Wally was not supposed to be in the Cave that early. No one was supposed to be in the Cave that early.

"Cay, we know you're in there," Robin continued from the opposite side of my door.

There was a pause and I could hear snippets of a whispered conversation. Burying my head in my pillow I hoped they would just go away and give me the extra hour of sleep I so deserved.

"Fine," Wally sighed. "Have it your way."

Smiling slightly I pulled the blankets tighter around me. I would make it up to them later. But at that moment I wanted nothing more than to stay holed up in my room and doze the morning away.

But then my door swung open, the light from the hallway flooding in, silhouetting Robin and Wally.

"Really?" I groaned.

"You actually thought that we were going to just leave?" Robin asked, slightly shocked. "Cay, I'm surprised. You seem so much smarter than that."

"Oh har dee har har," I grumbled into my pillow. "You're so funny."

"Anyway," he continued. "Get up! We're having a team building exercise!"

I looked from him to Wally. "Sorry?"

"You know, building relationships within the team," Wally explained, "to make us a better, more functional unit."

"I'm functioning just fine thanks," I replied.

Wally snorted. "Cay, we aren't asking."

"This is serious," Robin agreed.

I sighed and rolled out of bed. "Okay, fine, I'm coming. Just give me a minute."

"You're fine as you are," Wally said as I trudged towards my dresser.

I looked from him to Robin. They both looked completely serious. Glancing down at my pajamas, perplexed, I shrugged. "I thought you said we were doing a team building exercise—"

"And it's far too important for us to wait for you to get yourself dressed!" Wally cried.

"You look fabulous as it is," Robin added with a grin.

I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to smooth it down. It was in serious need of a cut, but I just hadn't had time to get it done. "Fine."

"Perfect!" Wally cried, turning on his heel and walking out of my room, followed closely by Robin. "Follow us!"

If I had been more awake I probably would have realized sooner that something was up. But it wasn't until I was standing in the kitchen staring down a smoking waffle iron that I realized what was actually going on.

"You set the waffle iron on fire!" I cried, wrenching the plug from the wall and cracking open the appliance. What remained of the waffles they had been trying to make was a blackened crust that smelled of burnt flour and sour milk.

"Well, it's not on fire anymore," Robin said. "It _was_ on fire when we went to get you. Must have burnt out."

"Lucky!" Wally exclaimed with a laugh.

I looked from them to the waffle iron and back again. "You…"

"But since you're here, Cay, would you mind helping us make breakfast?" Wally asked. "As you can see, we can't be trusted to do it alone."

I shot one more look at the burnt out waffle iron. "You two..."

"Are hungry," Robin finished.

"A lot hungry," Wally added.

Sighing I motioned to the fridge. "Wally, grab the eggs and the bacon. Robin, get the bread from the cabinet."

"But I'm in the mood for waffles," Wally sighed, walking to the fridge.

Picking up the waffle iron I deposited it next to the sink. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you destroyed the waffle iron."

"But I was hungry!"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed a frying pan out of one of the drawers. "You're always hungry, Wally."

"You're so right," he sighed, letting the fridge door slam shut as he deposited a carton of eggs and three packages of bacon on the counter. "Is this all we have?"

"Yes, Megan hasn't done the shopping for this week,"

I turned to the stove and dropped the pan on the burner with a metallic clang.

"So… are you going to use the stove to cook breakfast?" Robin asked as I switched the burner on.

Leaning against the counter I nodded. "Personally, I find raw eggs highly unappetizing."

He and Wally exchanged glances. "Oh."

"Ugh, what now?" I groaned. "Did you—"

The rest of what I had to say was drowned out as the stove began to emit a high pitched whining noise and the element promptly burst into flames.

"What did you do to it!" I shouted, fumbling with the switch to the burner and whisking the frying pan off the stove top as the flames went out with a pitiful hiss.

I turned angrily to Wally and Robin.

"You broke the stove."

"Correction, Wally broke the stove," Robin explained hurriedly. "He's the one that shoved the paper clip into the burner. "

"Why would you put a paper clip in the burner?" I cried. "How on earth—"

"Thanks for throwing me under the bus, Rob," Wally griped. "And it totally should have worked. If the stove wasn't such a piece of junk—"

"It totally should have," Robin agreed.

"Can we _please_ focus on the fact that the two of you have effectively broken both of the kitchen appliances that are needed to cook breakfast?" I interrupted. "You know, Conner, Megan, and I live here. We kind of need them to eat."

Wally dropped his gaze. "We didn't plan on breaking it."

"It just sorta happened," Robin added.

"And we were trying to make _you_ breakfast!"

I looked from him to Robin. "You were? Why?"

Robin found something interesting on the ground to examine as Wally shrugged.

"Well… we realized that maybe we weren't completely… fair. To you or Kaldur."

"About the whole mole thing," Robin added.

Wally nodded, grinning slightly. "So we agreed to apologize… but then we didn't quite know what to say so we decided that making both of you breakfast would be just as good!"

I stayed silent for a moment. "You know, you could have just said, 'sorry'."

"In hindsight, that is a fair point. But if we had done that we wouldn't have had this wonderful experience," Robin pointed out.

Grinning I turned back to the stove. "Of course, destroying the kitchen qualifies as a wonderful experience."

"And about breakfast…" Wally trailed off.

"Without the stove the best I can do is cereal," I replied looking back at the destroyed waffle iron.

When I turned back towards them Wally was grinning. Robin was grinning. And I was beginning to have a really bad feeling about whatever they were planning.

Five minutes later Wally had produced a large frying pan, I was changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and I still had no idea what was going on.

"You ready for my master plan?" Wally asked.

Raising an eyebrow I took the pan from him. "Sure thing…"

"Alright, babe," he paused, grabbing two eggs from the carton. "We may be short a stove, but we've got a flammable gel oozing pyromaniac! Now, light 'er up!"

Swinging the pan around I eyed the eggs. "For one thing, I'm not a pyromaniac. That would imply I enjoy lighting things other than myself on fire."

"You don't?" Wally questioned.

I shook my head. "Not particularly."

Robin shot me a strange look. "But you like setting yourself on fire?"

"Okay, maybe 'like' is the wrong word," I replied as I casually lit up my left hand. "It's just… you know, something I do."

Wally grinned. "Am I a genius, or am I a genius?"

"Egg me," I laughed, swinging the frying pan and my hand towards him.

Cracking each egg in turn on the edge of the pan Wally dropped them one by one onto the sizzling skillet. When the eggs took up the entire surface of the pan he tossed the empty shells into the garbage.

The two of them watched me cook the eggs and then fry up the bacon. Their banter was entertaining, to say the least. As I dumped the last few slices of bacon onto the waiting paper towel lined plate the computer intoned the arrival of Kaldur.

"And Kaldur is right on time," Wally laughed walking over to the fridge. "Perfect."

As he pulled open the door I looked down at the plates of breakfast food in front of me. "Guys, I don't think we have enough food for three people and Wally," I pointed out.

"Hey!" he objected, pulling open the fridge door.

"She's right," Robin chortled, turning back to me he motioned to Wally. "Don't worry Cay, we've got Kaldur covered. Now, why don't you go sit down and we'll handle the rest."

Before I could object he was ushering me out of the kitchen and over to the table on the opposite side of the room. As he turned and jogged back to Wally, Kaldur walked through the doorway that led to the TV room.

"Morning!" I greeted.

He smiled and pulled a chair up beside me. "Good morning, Cay."

"So… I'm guessing you're here for the same reason I am."

With a nod he motioned to Wally and Robin, who were busily working on something in the kitchen. "I have informed them that it is not necessary."

I shrugged. "I appreciate the gesture, but I could have done without the destruction of the stove."

"The stove?"

The look on his face made me laugh. "Don't look so concerned. There's nothing either of us can do about it now."

"Drum roll please," Robin announced, waltzing out of the kitchen holding a large platter laden with what I assumed was breakfast.

"You are gonna love this." Wally's voice in my ear made me turn to my left. He grinned. "Trust me."

As Robin stopped before Kal and I Wally joined him on the opposite side of the table. Without another word the two of them swept the plates off of Robin's serving platter and laid them before us.

The bacon and eggs on my plate had been artfully arranged to spell out "we're sorry". I stared down at it for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Of course Cay laughs," Robin sighed as I composed myself.

"You made it really difficult," Wally added. "None of the eggs were circular enough to be the 'o'!"

Laughing I cast a glance to Kal's plate as he thanked Wally and Robin. And in that moment I was ridiculously confused. Arranged on Kal's plate were pieces of sushi proclaiming "so sorry". I stared at the colourful fish creations. They weren't what I had pictured Atlanteans eating.

"Earth to Cay."

I looked up at Robin. He was looking at me expectantly.

"Sorry, what?"

Wally leaned against the table and snatched a piece of bacon off my plate. "Well, you're looking at the plate of sushi like it's about to leap off the plate and attack you."

"It's just…" I trailed off, not wanting to sound like a complete tool.

Kal shot me a sidelong glance. "Cay?"

"It's nothing," I said lightly, shoveling an egg into my mouth.

Wally and Robin exchanged a glance.

"C'mon Cay, what is it?" Wally wheedled.

For a moment I contemplated not voicing my confusion. But my better judgment kicked in a little too late.

"You eat fish?" I asked slowly.

The look on Kaldur's face immediately made me feel like an idiot.

"Yes," he answered slowly.

Robin burst out laughing.

"What else would someone from the ocean eat?" Wally asked utterly perplexed.

"Uh…" I didn't have a response.

"Seaweed, please tell me you thought it was seaweed," Robin interjected. "Oh man, Cay, we need to hang out with you more often. What do you think Martians eat?"

"I just thought that… he has gills!" I cried, attempting to justify my incredibly intelligent assumption that Atlanteans did not eat fish. "Fish have gills!"

Robin collapsed into another fit of laughter.

"And you have feet," Wally replied. "Do you not eat animals that have feet?"

Recovering enough to sit up straight in his chair Robin motioned to Kal. "I'm almost one hundred percent certain Kaldur and the artfully arranged fish on his plate are in no way related to one another."

I tried to avoid looking at Kal. "The more we discuss this, the stupider I sound."

Robin and Wally grinned.

"Cay, you are wonderful," Wally laughed, snagging a piece of bacon from my plate. "Don't ever change."

"And on that note, we will leave you two to your breakfast," Robin continued. "And don't worry about the stove or the waffle iron. They'll be fine by tomorrow."

"Thank you guys," I said.

With that he and Wally disappeared out the door. Off to steal the TV from Conner, no doubt. The quiet buzzing of the static had been drifting out of the adjacent room since I had walked into the kitchen.

I turned back to Kal with a smile. "Can we please pretend like that didn't happen?"

He was watching me, calm and quiet as always.

When he didn't respond I groaned and dropped my head into my hands. "I'm such an idiot."

And with that Kal laughed. "No, you are not. Please, I am not offended."

Relieved, I looked up. "And that's a relief… But I'm still really sorry for thinking that you don't eat fish because you have gills."

He raised an eyebrow. "I still do not understand how you came to that conclusion."

Popping a piece of bacon into my mouth I chewed slowly. "Yeah, in hindsight it wasn't a very intelligent thing to assume."

Shaking his head he smiled slightly. "When I first came to the surface, just as you have misconceptions of Atlantis, I had misconceptions of your world."

"Like what?" I asked after a moment.

"I had never given what surface worlders ate much thought," he admitted. "In Atlantis we do not possess the means to cook our food as you do. Of everything I have tried, bread was the most perplexing."

"Bread?" I sputtered.

"The texture is most odd," Kaldur continued. "But I have grown accustomed to it."

"Really? Bread?"

"There is nothing like it in Atlantis."

With a grin I motioned to the plate in front of me. "And I bet you don't have anything as great as bacon either."

"Wally and Robin have assured me that we do not," he chuckled.

"Well, seeing as you've eaten fish for the last sixteen years would you like some?" I offered.

"I would not want to waste what Wally and Robin have procured."

"They wouldn't be offended if you chose bacon over sushi," I said, sliding my plate towards him and holding up a fork. "And don't worry, I happen to really like sushi. We'll finish it off."

Kal smiled and took the proffered fork. "Thank you, Cay."

* * *

"Now will you tell me what happened to the kitchen?" Megan asked as I collapsed on the couch opposite her.

Having spent the last hour cleaning, among other things, egg off the ceiling and walls, I was more than ready for a nap.

"Robin and Wally happened," I replied.

"Oh… and what does that mean exactly?"

I propped myself up on my elbow. Going into the details of frying eggs and bacon over an open flame that just so happens is generated by your hand wasn't something I wanted to do. "All that you need to know is that tomorrow everything will be back to normal and you can go back to cooking Conner and I delicious meals."

She still looked confused. "And what about tonight?"

I shot her a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"Well… we do have to eat dinner."

"We could go into Happy Harbor," I suggested.

"Oh, that would be fun!"

"Totally," I agreed. "Maybe we could meet up with Wendy and Karen."

Megan nodded enthusiastically. "That would be fun!"

"I'll text them," I suggested, whipping out my cell and scrolling through my contacts to find Wendy.

"I'll go ask Conner if he wants to come!"

* * *

A few hours later Megan and I were headed into Happy Harbor. Conner had declined our invitation to tag along, Kal had left shortly after breakfast, and Robin, Wally, and Artemis weren't responding to my texts. I was a little put out, but I was kind of looking forward to hanging out with a group of my friends that were normal. I had missed just hanging out.

Wendy had suggested that we meet them at a popular restaurant called 'Bob's Bean Bar'. She had given me directions and Megan and I decided that it was within walking distance of the Cave.

"Cay, Megan!"

Wendy's cry drew my attention as we stepped inside. At the back of the restaurant she, Karen, Mal, Marvin and a few other cheerleaders were crammed into two adjacent booths. The place was cute. It had a very sixties feel. Lots of pastel colours and bar stools. Near the coffee bar I thought I saw a milkshake machine.

"Hi!" Megan and I replied in unison.

"You two are late!" Karen called.

"My bad," I apologized. "It was cold and I wanted a jacket. We had to run back to my place."

"Don't worry about it," Wendy laughed. "We haven't been waiting long."

"So," I said, sliding into the booth next to Mal, "how's it going?"

Mal and Marvin shrugged. Karen snorted.

"You know how it gets," Wendy said simply.

"The Hornets have a big game this week," Mal elaborated. "With that politics essay it's been… busy."

I felt a sinking sensation in my stomach. "Ah, right, essay. That's due this week?"

Karen laughed. "Girl, if you were ever in class you'd know it is."

"I go to class!" She shot me a knowing look. "Sometimes… and the last class I missed was totally legitimate. I wanted to go see Metropolis University's journalism display!"

"Mr. Carr made it due this Friday," Wendy said. "Karen and I have been asking him to give us an extension because of the game but he won't go for it."

"That's too bad," Megan sighed. "But we'll finish it on time, right Cay?"

With a wry grin I shrugged my shoulders. "That depends on how much you know about Bialyan politics."

"You got Bialya?" Marvin griped. "That's so not fair."

Mal nodded. "Carr's been on about Bialya for the last two weeks."

Marvin frowned. "You're one to talk. You've got Rhelasia!"

"Just got lucky I guess," Mal said with a shrug.

"What did you get Marvin?" I asked with a laugh.

"Canada," he deadpanned.

The table erupted into laughter.

"Why are you complaining?" Karen laughed. "You've got it easier than anyone!"

"We have to write about major political conflicts," Marvin complained. "What sort of major conflicts have happened in Canada?"

"There has to be something," I pressed. "Every government has problems."

"Have you seen Canada's track record?" Marvin rolled his eyes. "Bialya is rife with political conflict! And Rhelasia!"

Picking up a menu Wendy tossed it at him. "Enough complaining Marvin. We're here to have fun! Not let you remind us how much work we all have to do."

"I wholeheartedly agree!" With a grin at Marvin I grabbed the menu Megan was offering me. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said with a smile.

Flipping it open I scanned what the restaurant offered. "So what's good?"

* * *

It turned out that everything was good. I had a burger and fries. Which wasn't very adventurous, so sue me. Whenever I couldn't decide what to eat I would generally go for the burger and fries. Because, c'mon, who doesn't know how to make a burger and fries? It's practically impossible to mess up.

As the evening wore on Megan, Wendy and Karen's conversation turned from topics that I was interested in to the upcoming bakesale. It was, to my understanding, meant to raise money for new cheerleading uniforms.

"So," I said, turning to Mal and Marvin, who looked as bored as I was. "Which is better, macaroons or muffins?"

The merits of both were being heartily debated over on the opposite side of the table.

Mal grinned. "Don't get me started. I've been hearing about this bake sale for the last week."

Leaning towards me Marvin winced. "And they've been feeding me the stuff they make to see how people will like it. Before you got here Wendy made me eat a plate of cookies."

"Wow, that sounds terrible," I said sarcastically.

"Did I mention they had raisins?" he continued.

"Raisins?" Mal uttered a disgruntled snort. "Please, Karen keeps bringing the team pecan tarts."

"Okay, how is that bad?" I asked, shooting him a confused look.

"Pecans, Cay. Pecans," Mal said darkly.

Marvin nodded knowingly. "And raisins."

Throwing my head back I laughed. "You guys are ridiculous! I love dessert! And pecan pie is my favorite!"

Turning to Marvin Mal nodded to me. "Alright, from now on we give Cay all the desserts the girls give us."

"Megan and Wendy were talking about a giant cookie," Marvin said ominously. "Should we really subject her to that?"

Mal nodded morosely. "The girl needs to learn."

Still laughing I shrugged. "Like I said, I love dessert!"

"I remember when I loved dessert," Marvin sighed.

The conversation lulled then. For a moment the three of us sat silently, listening to Megan, Wendy and Karen still discussing the bake sale. Then Marvin slapped the table, making me jump.

"You went to the journalism presentation, right?" he asked excitedly.

I nodded. "Yeah. I grew up in Metropolis and I wanted to go back after high school. Their journalism program is supposed to be pretty good."

Marvin nodded enthusiastically. "So you must have worked on your school's newspaper, right?"

There was a pause before I answered. "Not really…"

"Perfect, so you need some experience, right?"

With a shrug I replied: "I guess. Why?"

"Just so happens that the paper needs someone to cover the bake sale!" Marvin said, practically bouncing in his seat beside Mal. "So, are you in or are you in?"

"You want me on the paper?" I asked, surprised.

Marvin raised his eyebrows. "It's a mutually beneficial relationship. You'll have stuff to submit if you apply to the journalism degree and the paper will finally have more than just Wendy, Myles and me."

"That would actually be really cool, Marvin," I said. "Thanks."

"We meet Thursday after school," he went on. "We'll give you something to do then."

"Cool."

As Marvin tried to get Wendy's attention Mal turned to me. "He's been talking my ear off all day about asking you to join the paper. Apparently, Mr. Carr said your writing is 'enthralling'. And Marvin was more than happy to try and recruit you."

"I don't think I would call it enthralling," I laughed. "But it's awesome that they're looking out for me. I wouldn't have even thought to—"

"Cay!" Megan cried, squeezing herself into the small space next to me. "You're joining the paper!"

"Yeah, Marvin asked me—"

"That's so exciting!" she gushed, wrapping me in a tight hug. "And you're covering the bake sale! I'm making cookies! And I was going to get you to help me make some scones, if that's alright. Do you think that you'll cover the football game? The team has a new routine and we just know that everyone is going to love it!"

"Megan, slow down!" I said with a laugh. "Yes to the scones, not sure about the football game, and I'm sure your routine is awesome."

Sliding off my side of the bench she smiled apologetically. "Right, okay, thanks!"

"No worries."

I looked across the table at Wendy and Karen. "So, what're you guys up to now?"

Karen shrugged. "We don't have anything planned. Homework, right?"

"That would be the responsible thing to do," I said with a grin. "But way less fun than the alternative."

"And the alternative is?" Wendy questioned.

"Well, it just so happens that I saw an arcade on my way over here."

Marvin looked down the table at me. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Let's be irresponsible and go to the arcade!" I crowed.

Wendy, Karen and Megan all exchanged glances.

"We could go for a little bit," Wendy conceded.

"It's not even nine," Karen pointed out.

I slid out of the booth, followed closely by Mal and Marvin. "So… are you coming?"

All three of them nodded.

"Then what're you waiting for!" I laughed. "Let's get going!"

"I don't think she could be any more rad," Marvin said to Mal, he fell into step beside me. "Where have you been my entire high school career?"

"Metropolis," I admitted. "Living an incredibly boring life."

The rest of the night I beat Marvin and Mal at pretty much every game they chose. I was a little rusty at the beginning, but after the first hour I was unstoppable. I taught Megan how to play Groove Groove Uprising which she was ecstatic about it. As the game went on I didn't have the heart to tell her that she was watching my side of the screen and that she had been eliminated halfway through the first song.

In all, it was awesome. Far better than working on a politics essay.

* * *

A few days later I was sitting in Jack's apartment.

"You ready?"

I looked up from my cell. Jack was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, trying to do up the buttons of his suit.

"Yeah, you?"

He gave his suit one final tug and grinned as he scooped his car keys off the counter. "You haven't been to a party until you've been to a charity brunch."

I rose off the couch, grabbing my coat from where I had thrown it. "I've heard those rich, old people can be pretty rowdy."

"Oh, they're just terrible." Jack chuckled. "When your father and I were working for Star Labs…" He trailed off. "Well, let's just say it was fun."

I rolled my eyes and kept pace with him as we made our way down the hallway outside his apartment to the elevator.

"So, you got a day off?" he asked, abruptly. "From the team, I mean."

"Yeah, we trained with Canary yesterday so today we were free to do whatever we wanted. And since I would like to have as normal a life as I can, I'm taking a little 'me' time," I replied.

The elevator doors opened with the customary ding and we stepped inside. "Amy's really excited to meet you."

I shot him a sidelong look as he punched the ground floor button and the doors closed. "Is she?"

He returned the look in kind. "She doesn't know anything. All she knows is that your father was my friend. And that I'm looking out for you now that he's gone."

Reaching our floor the doors slid open and we stepped out into the lobby.

"That's all?"

Jack grinned. "Trust me, Amy knows nothing about you. I distracted her with something far more interesting."

I shot him a questioning look.

"A project I worked on called _CandyCaine_."

"And what's that?" I asked as we took the stairs down to the garage.

"Well, she's sure I've been involved in some super secret government program, which is true," he conceded, "in part. So to throw her off the scent I gave her _CandyCaine_. I left some files in my apartment and she rifled through them." He chuckled. "She thinks she's on to something big."

"Sorry, but what is it?" I asked again.

"Huh? Oh, it was one of the programs I worked on as a grad student," he replied as we approached his car. "Amy thinks it's a weapons program, but really, it was just your dad and I trying to splice the genes of a dog. We wanted to give it a red and white striped coat."

I pulled open the passenger side door. "And that was relevant to your career because?"

Jack laughed. "It wasn't. We were trying to prank Dean Caine."

"I don't see how that's funny…"

"It's kind of one of those you had to be there, things."

* * *

It didn't take us long to get to the hotel that was hosting the event. Jack handed the keys to the valet as I slid out of the passenger side and smoothed my dress.

"You like it?" he asked as we mounted the steps to the front door.

"What I had on before was fine," I informed him. "But yes, I do."

It was a very nice dress, though not something that I would have picked off the rack. Not that it came off a rack. I was almost sure Jack had synthesized the fabric. It was a simple cut with a sweetheart neckline and was a soft blue color. As Jack had pulled it out of the garment bag back at his apartment I had concluded that I would never have to buy clothes again.

Grinning as the doorman held open the door Jack ushered me inside the hotel. "You were wearing jeans and a t-shirt Cay. That would be acceptable if we were going to the Waffle Shack."

He gestured to the people who were milling about the lobby. "As you can see, you would have been a little out of place."

How right he was. All the women were dressed in varying styles of dresses, though a few were wearing pants and jackets. The men were all in sport coats, with fine collared shirts and ties. I tugged nervously at my dress. I wasn't really used to the way it sat against my skin. But, upon my last look in the mirror I had seemed presentable so I just fell into step beside Jack as we walked into the crowd.

"Oh look, there's Amy!" Jack said, motioning to a dark haired woman in a bright red dress who was leaning against the bar on the far side of the room. She caught sight of him and began to make her way towards us.

"Just remember, Cay," he continued. "She _is_ a journalist."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," I replied with a grin.

And then Amy was in front of me, shaking my hand, her dark eyes locked on my face. "It's nice to finally meet you, Cay."

"You too," I said smiling.

Jack, grinning from ear to ear, threw an arm around Amy's waist. "Are you two ready for brunch?"

Amy rolled her eyes and wriggled out of Jack's grasp. "Before we do anything, you should probably go socialize."

"With who?" Jack asked, looking around the room perplexed. "I don't see anyone…" His grin faded as he stared off into the crowd of people. "Our table is number twelve, I'll meet you there."

And with that he disappeared, leaving me standing awkwardly beside Amy.

"Well, that gets rid of him," she laughed, shooting me a wry smile. "Care to find our table?"

"Uh, sure thing," I replied as she looked off towards the door at the back of the room. "But I think you'll have to do most of the finding. I have no idea where anything is."

She gave a throaty laugh. "The dining room is this way, c'mon."

Shouldering her purse and downing the last of her drink she walked away, obviously expecting me to follow. And seeing as I had nothing else to do I fell into step behind her as we made our way out of the main reception room.

After casually dropping her glass onto a proffered platter held by one of the waiters Amy gracefully lowered herself into a chair at one of the few empty tables.

Following suit I gestured to the expanse of the dining room. "This is quite the event."

Shrugging she began to rummage around in her purse. "Before Jack's little trip to Milan we went to at least one of these stupid fundraisers every couple weeks. Trust me, it gets old fast." She paused as she dropped a small black notebook in front of her. "But do you know what doesn't?"

Her eyes gleamed as she grinned at me across the table.

"What?" I asked, shifting uncomfortably in my chair.

"How much do you know about your father?"

The question caught me off guard. Having just met her I didn't expect Amy to start in on what I knew about my father. I fought the urge to grit my teeth before answering.

"Not much," I replied, my voice tight.

Amy flipped open her notebook and pushed it towards me. "I need your help."

I ignored it and met her gaze. "With what?"

"Ever since Jack came back from Milan he's been… different," she said, fiddling with the napkin wrapped around her cutlery. "So, I decided to look into what he was doing for the month he was missing…"

"And?" I asked sharply.

"I didn't find anything."

I shot her a confused glance before leaning back in my chair. "Well there's your answer."

Amy sighed. "Cay. Jack is a leading scientist in a number of fields. One does not simply drop off the map when they're being considered for a government funded research grant worth—"

"His best friend died," I interrupted bluntly. "Getting away for a couple weeks really doesn't strike me as that odd."

Rolling her eyes Amy pointed to a scrawled name on the page of her little notebook. "This is the last person Jack spoke to before he just up and left."

"Victor Caine," I read, looking up at her. "And who is he?"

"A lead scientist on another project Jack worked on when he was fresh out of school," Amy said excitedly. "A very high profile project."

"So, he kept in touch with this Caine guy?" I asked, dropping my gaze to the book. There were other names scrawled on the page, six in all.

"And Helen Andrews, Steven Li, Alice Yuu, and, of course, your father," she continued excitedly. "All of them from the same project."

"And he called them all on the same day?"

"Yes, Independence Day, as it so happens. The day your father's research lab was destroyed at Cadmus."

"Yeah, I remember," I muttered. "But why does it matter?"

Amy shot me a look that said, 'are you stupid?' before responding. "Cay, the head of the project was your father. Do you know any of them?"

She flipped the notebook to face me I stared down at the list.

"But why was Eames left out of Jack's calls?" I asked, "You said that he called everyone on the project."

"Cay."

Amy snatched the book off the table and I sat back in my chair. Jack strode up to the table, cell in hand.

"You should probably see this," he said, dropping his phone onto the table in front of Amy.

On the screen was Cat Grant sitting in the familiar GBS newsroom, a handful of papers clutched in her hand.

"The strange plants have begun appearing in major cities all over the United States," she stated, a small video feed from Star City showing a hideous green plant erupting from the ground, overturning cars and collapsing buildings. "The League and the authorities are advising all civilians to remain calm. The situation will soon be under control."

I looked up at Jack as more live feed from Fawcett City took up the screen of his phone. "This is happening now?"

He nodded.

I looked to the door and then back at Amy. "Here?"

Again he nodded. "The downtown core was attacked a few minutes ago."

I bit the inside of my lip. "Oh."

And then suddenly the feed from the news channel disappeared, replaced by the image of a gaunt white face. As he tapped the screen I recognized who he was.

The Joker. One of Gotham's worst criminals.

"Ladies and gentlemen we interrupt your regularly scheduled mayhem to bring you this," he began, pulling out a switch blade and turning the camera away from him, "important announcement from the Injustice League."

The giggle that followed made the hair on the back of my neck stand up on end.

For the most part I recognized the members of the new criminal organization. Poison Ivy, Wotan, Joker, and Black Adam had all been in the news fairly recently. But the others… I hadn't seen them before, or, if I had, I didn't recognize them.

"We are responsible for the attacks on your cities. If you wish to save them a ransom of ten billion American dollars is required. Delivery instructions have been sent to the UN. There is no time limit. But the longer your governments wait…"

The unfamiliar blonde man trailed off and the Joker turned the camera back to face him. "The more we get to have our jollies," he finished before dissolving into uncontrollable laughter.

With that the broadcast cut off and the cellphone's screen went blank.

Clearing his throat Jack took his phone from the table and tossed it to me. "You should give your friends a call. Make sure they're alright," he said. "Make sure they don't need your help."

Pushing myself out of my seat I nodded in agreement. "Good idea."

Amy, engrossed in the news feed on her own cell phone's screen, didn't notice Jack follow me towards the door of the reception room.

"If I don't hear from you in the next couple hours I am going to assume you're dead and I will be very upset," he said quietly.

I shot him a small smile and tossed his phone back to him. "The team might not even be involved in this. It's kind of public. We're supposed to be covert."

"All the better," Jack replied, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Be careful Cay."

"Always."

As I turned to walk away he grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a hug.

"Jack?"

With one final squeeze he released me and I stumbled back.

"Every time you go out with them could be the last time I see you," he said simply. "A hug is the least you can do for me."

"I will always come back," I said certainly.

He smiled sadly. "I hope so."

And with that I slipped out of the party. Within minutes I was out in the street and had slipped my com-link into my ear. I had begun bringing it with me everywhere I went, just in case.

"Ignis to Cave," I said, my voice low. "What's going on guys?"

"Ignis? Your transmission is being interrupted. Can you hear me?"

Robin's voice sounded tinny in my ear.

"Yeah, I hear you," I said as I pressed my index and middle finger to the communicator in my ear.

"You're on your way?"

"Yeah, I just have to get to a transporter. Can you help me out? The closest one I know is about twenty minutes away. And that would be if the downtown core hadn't been attacked by a giant plant."

"Sure, just give me a sec…" he trailed off.

I made my way down the street and after a few minutes, I slipped into an alley and pressed my finger to my earpiece.

"Robin?"

"Gotcha!" came the response. "Okay, you're gonna want to find the Summerset subway station. There's a janitorial closet on the far side of the platform. That's the transporter. See you soon."

"Thanks."

I jogged down the street, dodging pedestrians as they ran past me, fleeing the area that had been menaced by the giant plant. Police cars screamed past, their lights flashing as they rushed off to wherever they were needed. I watched them go with a growing sense of dread. This was big. Everything I had been involved in before had been covert. If we failed, or if we were found out… it was a big deal but there weren't civilian lives on the line. We only had to think about getting ourselves home.

But this time… it was the first big disaster the team would face. The first big disaster that _I_ would face.

And if I screwed it up, people could die.

Taking a deep breath I tried to steady myself. I could fight superpowered plants. Flames alight I was a plant's worst nightmare. As worried as I was, the thought of burning up a few plants was almost exciting.

"Ignis, you're taking too long."

Batman's voice echoed in my ear, interrupting my train of thought as I reached the subway station entrance. And he sounded irritated.

"Uh, I'm sorry," I stammered. "I'm almost at the trans—"

"The team has been briefed," he interrupted. "You will be given mission details when you arrive."

Before I could collect myself enough to respond the transmission abruptly ended. Still flustered I descended the stairs into the subway. There was no one on the platform, which I was thankful for. As the lights flickered eerily above me I hurried over to the far side of the platform where a nondescript door was half-hidden in the shadows cast by a broken light.

As I closed my hand around the handle a metallic beep sounded and the door swung smoothly outward. I shot a final glance over my shoulder, just to make sure no one was watching me before stepping into the closet-like room and pulling the door shut behind me. Immediately the scanner recognized me, the familiar voice intoned my designation and alias as the closet filled with the characteristic white light.

Blinking, I stepped into the mission room to see Robin and Wally lounging by the holoscreen.

As the two turned towards me Wally whistled.

"Is it hot in here?" he laughed as I came to a halt before him and Robin. "Or is it just you?

I looked from him to Robin. "And how long has he been rehearsing that?"

Robin uttered a short bark of laughter before clapping his hand over his mouth as Kaldur walked in, muffling the sound.

He was carrying a duffle in his left hand, which struck me as odd. What could he need other than his water-bearers?

"Cay, good, we are ready to depart," he said. "You can be briefed on the way."

I nodded as I walked towards him. "Off to fight some plants?"

Shaking his head he motioned to the image of the Injustice League frozen on the holoscreen.

"Oh."

Kal looked like he wanted to say something.

"I need to change," I said hurriedly. "I'll meet you in the bioship bay."

I didn't give him time to respond.

Where I had been almost ready to take on a bunch of plants, I was less than ready to take on some of the most dangerous criminals I knew of.

It made sense though. The plants were attacking civilians in broad daylight. Our team was meant to be covert. Waltzing into the middle of a city to take on a bunch of killer plants wasn't quite our type of mission assignment.

Trying to keep my mind off the looming situation I raced to my room and slipped into my suit. I grabbed my whips, baton and belt, which I promptly strapped to my waist. Then I was ready to go.

* * *

As I walked into the bioship bay the Sphere sidled up beside me, beeping pitifully. I patted it with a laugh.

"We'll be back soon," I said. "It's safer for you here."

The Sphere beeped again, in what I assumed was resigned agreement. I left it there, circuitry blinking and climbed the ramp into the bioship. As I greeted the team the ramp slid seamlessly up behind me.

"We're ready then?" Megan asked.

Kaldur nodded and I felt the bioship glide smoothly upwards beneath my feet.

"Robin, pull up all available data on members of the Injustice League," Kal instructed.

"Way ahead of you," he replied tapping the device on his wrist, bringing up an image of the villains we were going after. "Alright, Cay, this is supervillain studies 101. You ready?"

"Yes," I said, nodding as I dropped into the seat beside him. I had a vague idea who we were fighting and what their powers were. But I was relieved that the team was going to fill me in on what I didn't know. Because there was a lot I didn't know.

"Alright, so, first off we have the Joker," Robin began, the image zooming in on the pale man at the forefront of the group. "Not your typical sociopath. Batman and I have had a few run-ins with him before. Try and stay out of the way of his switch blades."

"Right." The way my stomach was flip flopping it was the only response I could manage.

Robin grinned reassuringly. "Don't look so freaked, Cay. We got this. Next is Ivy," he continued, the holoimage changing to that of a light green skinned, red haired woman. "Again, Batman and I have gone up against her before. Controls plants, generally views every human being as a menace to said plants... You would probably be viewed as a double threat with the whole fire thing." He paused and shot a glance at Kal.

Clearing his throat Kal added, "In the bayou Ivy has the advantage. Make sure you are aware of your surroundings. She can attack from anywhere."

I nodded again, trying to push down the dread that was curling in my gut. "Yeah."

The holoimage changed again to a blonde haired man wearing an antiquated outfit of a cape, vest, collared shirt and dark trousers. He looked just a little bit ridiculous.

"Count Vertigo," Wally cut in. "Another nasty customer. He's second in line for the throne of Vlatava. He's got this debilitating brain wave thing. Really knocks you on your butt, but don't worry, babe. You just leave him to me."

"That 'debilitating brain thing', as K.F. so eloquently put it, is Vertigo's power," Robin said, drawing my attention away from Wally who was grinning in my direction. "It'll only affect you if he's facing you. So get behind him and you've got him beat."

"And let's not forget Black Adam," he continued, the image changing again, this time to the figure of a beefy, tan-skinned man. His outfit looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. As I stared at the holoimage, trying to figure out why it was so familiar Robin launched back into his speech. "He's the strongest out of all of them. With super strength, flight—"

"A majorly bad attitude," Wally put in.

With a snort of disgust Artemis kicked the back of his chair. "You're not funny."

"I beg to differ," he shot back. "I think I'm hilarious."

"Anyway," Robin said slowly. "My point is, Black Adam's the biggest threat. In terms of physical strength."

"But don't think because he's a beefcake he isn't smart," Wally added.

Robin shot him an exasperated look. "Who exactly is giving this run down of the villains?"

Grinning, Wally held up his hands. "Dude, I'm just helping out."

Rolling his eyes, Robin returned to his holoscreen. The image of Black Adam dissolved and was replaced by a villain I knew a little about.

"Wotan," I said. "He's a sorcerer, right? Dark magic, mainly the sun blocking type."

Wally grinned. "Good times, good times."

"Wotan's fairly average in terms of physical strength but his magical abilities more than make up for it; he's dangerous." Robin banished the image from the holoscreen. "Watch out for him."

I found myself nodding. "Right."

"And that leaves us with the last two members of the Injustice League," Robin went on. The holoimages he brought up were of a gorilla and a man with a disfigured face.

"Atomic Skull and Ultra Humanite."

"Atomic Skull's got an energy beam he shoots out of his head," Wally explained, motioning to the image. "The contraption he has strapped to his skull is what concentrates it and allows him to fire it at will. And Ultra Humanite... Well, he's a monkey."

"He's a gorilla," Robin corrected, "with superhuman intelligence."

Wally rolled his eyes. "As if it makes a difference."

"Gorillas are bigger than monkeys," I pointed out. "And they build nests."

"Well, I'm sure the distinction will serve you well if we have to engage them." Wally grinned. "Maybe we can find their secret hide out by the telltale nests Ultra Humanite has made in the surrounding woods."

"I feel like you're making fun of me," I said with a frown.

"Never, gorgeous."

I turned back to Robin. "So are we supposed to take out the Injustice League or what?"

"The team is responsible for neutralizing the threat posed by the plants that they are in control of," Kaldur cut in.

"So do we have to engage them or not?" I pressed.

"The likelihood that we will infiltrate their base without a fight is slim to none," he replied. "If it is possible, we will avoid a fight."

"Chances are we're going to have to take them on," Artemis added.

I sunk back in my seat. Not for the first time that day I wanted to throw up.

* * *

It only took us an hour or so to get to the Louisiana bayou. And as I looked out the window I felt my stomach lurch. From what I knew of the swamp there were lots of things, besides sociopathic supervillains, that could kill you. Fiddling with my belt buckle I tried to focus on something else. I was worrying myself sick.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Robin checking the contents of his utility belt, Wally snacking on his second protein bar of the flight. He noticed my gaze and snapped open a hidden compartment in the right cuff of his suit revealing two more bars.

"Want one?" he offered, downing the last bite of his own.

I shook my head. "No thanks."

Shrugging he turned to Artemis. "You?"

Artemis declined and the ship once again fell into a heavy silence.

"What's in the duffel?" Wally asked Kaldur, breaking the silence and once again drawing my attention to the bag.

"Plan B."

Something about the way he said it set my teeth on edge. Why would we need a plan B? Of course he was he expecting there to be trouble, but why would he need a plan B? We had never needed a plan B before. As soon as the thought crossed my mind I realized it was a stupid idea. We were going up against the Injustice League. We probably did needed a backup plan.

But why had he not told the rest of us about it?

I opened my mouth to ask him about his backup plan when Megan groaned.

"You alright?" Conner asked immediately.

The rest of the team, myself included, looked on worriedly.

"Dizzy," she replied after a moment.

"Martians get airsick?" Robin questioned, turning in his seat.

"She does look a bit greener than usual," Wally observed.

"Not me," Megan replied, her voice a tad shaky, "her."

I looked towards Artemis. "Are you…?"

"I feel fine," she said.

Megan shook her head. "Not her, the bioship. She's trying to shield us but—"

And then everything went to hell in a hand basket. The bioship lurched to the left and I have a feeling we went into a bit of a downward spiral before Megan was able to regain control and level the ship off.

"What was that!" I hissed, righting myself in my seat and peering out the window.

"I'm not sure," Megan said after a moment. "But, whatever it was—"

Again the bioship rocked violently under my feet. Spiraling downward the ship plummeted towards the surface of the river. Gripping my seat with both hands and closing my eyes I braced for the inevitable impact of the water. And impact we did.

The ship flipped end over end, throwing all of us painfully against our restraints. When we finally came to a stop I slowly opened my eyes. The bioship was still blissfully free of water and the rest of the team looked none the worse for wear.

My relief was short lived because before any of us could make a move a collection of large vines shot out of the water and wrapped themselves around the bioship. To make matters worse Megan let out a pained cry as Black Adam tore a hole in the bioship's hull.

"He's hurting her," she managed, clutching her head.

Conner immediately leapt into action, his fist connecting squarely with Black Adam's jaw. He sent the man flying back, and the bioship was released from his grasp. But without him to hold us up the ship sunk swiftly below the muddy water of the river.

The water came pouring in almost instantly. Vaguely I could hear Artemis remarking on how drowning really wasn't on her list of things to do. I couldn't have agreed more. Unbuckling my seatbelt-like restraint I stood up. The water was past my knees, almost to my waist.

Turning from Wally Artemis tossed me a cylindrical, black object. She already had a similar one in her mouth, but I just stared at my own dumbly. "Thanks."

"M'gann we need to get out!" Conner cried, placing a hand on Megan's shoulder. "Open a hatch!"

"Hello Megan!" she cried, smacking her forehead. "Of course!"

And with that she disappeared beneath the water, presumably to open a hatch.

After that, I don't know what came over me. I just stood there, staring at the water that was slowly creeping up towards my face. My teammates were disappearing out the hatch Megan had opened, intent on getting out of the sinking bioship. But I couldn't move. All I could do was stand there, hands shaking as I tried to contemplate what was worse; drowning or escaping the bioship and getting killed by the Injustice League.

Actually, there was a worse scenario. Escaping the bioship and being completely incapacitated and having to watch my friends die.

"Cay."

Kal's voice brought me to the reality of the situation. I could imagine countless scenarios but the truth of the matter was if I didn't get out I was going to drown. And I didn't want to drown. Tried it once, didn't like it.

"You first," I said, my voice oddly steady. "I'll follow you out."

He shook his head and grabbed my hand. I hoped he wouldn't notice it shaking. "Together. Breath normally."

Tightening my grip on his hand I slipped the breathing apparatus Artemis had given me into my mouth.

Nodding that I was ready he ducked under the water, pulling me along with him. It was murky, blurring everything into indeterminable shapes. All I could see was the slight outline of Kal in front of me.

Swimming out of the bioship we broke the surface along with the rest of the team. I half-walked, half-fell out of the brown water onto the solid ground of the riverbank. Kaldur, still keeping a firm grip on my hand, pulled me into the cover provided by the grizzled looking trees that lined the river.

Squatting next to him and Wally I watched as the bioship was pulled beneath the water by a writhing collection of sickeningly bloated vines.

"She's in shock," Megan said. "She'll need time to recover."

I turned to Wally, motioning to my soaking suit. It was only matter of time before the Injustice League found us. And I wanted to dry myself off as quickly as possible. If he could rotate his arms fast enough he could create a sort of fan effect. "Care to help me ou—"

The question devolved into a cry of pain. I didn't know what was going on but it felt like someone was raking their fingers across the inside of my skull. I dropped to the ground clutching my head as I caught sight of our attacker.

Count Vertigo was a tall man, with whitish blonde hair, and dark, cruel eyes. His antiquated outfit of a cape, waistcoat and high collared shirt would have been comical, had he not been prepared to kill us.

His mouth set in a hard line he slowly walked out of the trees, the effects of his powers still incapacitating the team and I.

"Vertigo," Wally said, trying to push himself off the ground.

"_Count_ Vertigo to you," the villain replied with a slight lilt to his voice, "peasant."

To my left I heard Conner, intent on stopping whatever it was Vertigo was doing, heave himself to his feet. He made it maybe three steps before running into Black Adam's fist. He hit the ground with a heavy thud and lay motionless.

My heart in my throat, I realized two things; one, that I had control of my arms and legs again, since Conner's attack had distracted Vertigo, and two, Black Adam had knocked out Conner.

Conner, who was a hell of a lot more indestructible than I was. And with one hit Black Adam had taken him out.

To further discourage another attack from Vertigo Kaldur drew his water-bearers and blasted the villain back into the trees. I heaved myself to my feet, unsure of what to do.

_Robin, Miss Martian_, Kaldur ordered over the mental link. _Disappear! We will keep them busy. You fulfill the mission objective._

Keep them busy. I didn't like the sound of that.

From beside me Megan faded out of sight as Black Adam caught Kaldur off guard, sending him careening into the bayou.

I drew the baton at my hip, prepared to do my best to beat the holy hell out of the black, spandex clad villain. I was fairly fond of Kaldur's face. The fact that Black Adam had the gall to try and mar it banished the fear and doubt in my mind. To a degree at least.

However, before I could even take a step towards him, Wolf had closed his mouth around Black Adam's shoulder. By the look on the man's face, he found it mildly irritating. Effortlessly he whirled around and sent Wolf crashing into Wally and Artemis. They landed in an unceremonious heap and they didn't get up.

I looked desperately to Kaldur. He wasn't moving. Conner was where Black Adam had knocked him back before. Even Wolf was out of commission.

I was the only one left.

And I had to do something.

Black Adam regarded me coldly from across the clearing. I stared steadily back as I tightened my grip on my baton. All I had to do was hold him off until Megan and Robin got back. I could do that. Holding him off didn't equate to beating him. All I had to do was run away really effectively.

And then he was practically on top of me, his oversized fist whistling through the air towards my head. I ducked, barely avoiding the attack. Unfazed he tried again, and again I managed to stay out of the way of his fist. I don't know how long I managed to keep his attention, it felt like hours, but it was probably less than a minute.

In the end, I just wasn't fast enough. And I wasn't paying enough attention to what was going on around me. By the time I noticed Vertigo it was too late. Black Adam retreated and I was hit by a wave of nausea and pain. Falling to my knees I tried to will my arms and legs to move. If I could get far enough away from Vertigo, maybe I would have a chance.

Laughing, the Count stepped forward. "If you please."

The last thing I saw was the underside of Black Adam's foot as it crashed into the side of my face.

* * *

"Ignis."

I groaned as I opened my eyes. With consciousness came pain. A lot of pain. I had been happier being blissfully unaware of the goings on around me. As Artemis and Wally's faces came into view I tried to smile reassuringly. However, judging by their reactions it must have come off as more of a grimace.

"You alright?" Wally asked.

"I'm okay," I croaked, sitting up slowly and taking in my surroundings. "Where…" I trailed off.

The team and I were suspended in a glowing, gold cage. It looked as though Wotan was sustaining it with some sort of magic. From beneath the cage I caught a glimpse of Black Adam's cape, which left me wondering where Count Vertigo had disappeared to.

From behind me I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked back to see Kaldur.

"Are you sure you are alright?"

The concern on his face was touching.

I nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

He glanced at Artemis and Wally.

"No reason," Artemis replied quickly.

I looked from her to Wally. Both of them dropped their gazes. Reaching up, I ran my fingers along the side of my face. Crusted blood beneath my nose met my fingers. I hurriedly wiped it away, and turned to Conner.

"Are you alright?"

He shrugged. "I've been better."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words devolved into a scream as the cage beneath me disappeared.

I was falling and I was falling fast. I twisted my body around as I rocketed towards the ground, trying my best to keep my arms and legs tucked tight against my body. I couldn't risk breaking anything.

I landed on my left shoulder, rolling off into the skeletal trees of the river bank. The rest of the team landed in the muddy water of the river. I thanked my lucky stars I hadn't joined them. Clambering to my feet I reached for my whips, but they weren't at my hip.

Before I could even make an attempt to join the fight Black Adam and Vertigo had landed beside me. With one sweep of his arm I was sent flying back into the trees and brush. Somehow, I managed not to pass out, though the ringing in my head and the black spots dancing across my vision kept me down for a minute. Black Adam didn't pursue me, presumably because he thought I was taken care of.

As I pulled myself to my feet I saw Wally race towards them, only to be stopped by Vertigo's debilitating power. As he collapsed before the cloak clad villain Black Adam swatted him aside. He hit one of the trees to my right with a dull thud and fell to the damp ground.

In a few steps I beside him, pulling him to his feet. "You okay?"

He chuckled, leaning heavily on me. "Now I look almost as good as you."

"Ha ha, very funny," I deadpanned. "But seriously…"

Pushing himself away from me he nodded towards the large dome that served as the Injustice League's headquarters. "Better now."

I followed his gaze as the vines above the compound erupted in flames to the accompaniment of shattering glass.

He grinned as I continued staring. "Mission accomplished."

A bark of humorless laughter escaped me. "Now comes the hard part."

His grin fading, Wally nodded. "We'll be okay."

"I hope you're right."

"Just follow my lead, babe." He looked over my shoulder, his expression darkening. "Artemis!"

Before I could respond he was off. I spun around hoping to offer them some assistance, only to be caught around the waist by a spine covered vine. Hefting me off the ground as its thorns bit into my skin I grit my teeth. Poison Ivy stood a couple feet back, her face a mask of sorrow and anger.

"I can't seem to find the Boy Wonder," she hissed. "But you'll do."

With a wave of her hand the vine began to tighten its grip around my waist and chest. Wriggling desperately against the vine, I felt my left arm slip from its grasp. Feeling as relieved as one could feel while having the life squeezed out of them by a collection of killer plants, I dragged my two rings across one another, setting the gel that had been gathering on my skin alight.

The flames engulfed the vine and I was dropped to the ground as Ivy screamed insults and promises of revenge.

Keeping my arms burning I grabbed vine after vine out of the air as they tried, unsuccessfully, to attack me. Incensed, Ivy increased her efforts. But, despite her best attempts, I was keeping her at bay.

I was so intent on Ivy I didn't notice Wotan rise out of the swamp. Which also meant I didn't notice the electricity that he sent arcing towards my teammates and I until it hit me. Cartwheeling through the air I landed flat on my back, the energy pinning me to the ground and extinguishing all the flames on my arms and hands.

The gel I was producing kept the electricity at bay to some degree. But as its strength increased, the tingling became painfully intense. I writhed on the ground, trying to escape it.

Then, all of a sudden it ended. A vine snaked around my ankle and hefted me into the air before I could get my bearings and threw me into the trunk of a nearby tree.

Dimly I could hear Wally shout something. As I rolled to my feet, avoiding another barrage by Ivy's vines, I saw Kaldur.

And he was wearing the Helmet of Fate.

I stared uncomprehendingly up at him, one thought echoing through my mind; why?

Things couldn't have been that bad. We were doing fine. The team was holding their own. But as I looked around I knew that wasn't quite true. Superboy was going head to head with Ultra Humanite, while Robin fended off the Joker. I couldn't find Wally and Artemis, and that worried me.

Megan's shout from behind me interrupted my train of thought, rocketing me back to the situation at hand. I was in the middle of a battle. Standing still and lamenting the possible loss of my almost boyfriend was the least commendable course of action.

Ivy's plants swept my feet out from under me as I tried to leap out of the path of Atomic Skull's energy beam. The attack missed me but Ivy's vine wrapped around my knees and tossed me into the air. Arms flailing like a rag doll I hit the ground and rolled, trying to ignore the pain shooting up through my shoulder.

Atomic Skull was in hot pursuit, leering eerily. As he advanced towards me I grabbed the first thing that caught my eye. In this case it was a heavy, club-like branch. I stared up at him calmly.

"Not your lucky d—"

As the branch connected with the side of his head he lurched sideways, giving me the few seconds I needed to get back on my feet. He turned back towards me, his head glowing. I hit him again, this time from below, catching him in the jaw.

He stumbled back as I pummeled him in the gut with the branch, which broke upon impact. Unwilling to let him get the best of me I resorted to the only thing I had left; my fists.

From there I tried my best to keep pushing Atomic Skull back towards the rest of the team. His combat skills were on par with mine, and up close, his energy beam was of little use. He didn't have enough time to charge it. As the fight wore on my arms and legs got heavier. I had used up a lot of energy trying to insulate myself from Wotan's attack. It was getting harder and harder to produce the gel on my skin and by that point I had stopped trying.

My fatigue allowed Atomic Skull a lucky shot. He caught me in the shoulder with a well aimed kick and sent me spinning off into the muck.

Skull, grinning, began to charge his laser. Of course, he didn't end up completing his attack. Captain Marvel appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the villain with one hand and chucked him towards where his comrades were gathering in the center of the bayou.

Turning worriedly to me he offered his hand and pulled me to my feet. "Thought you could use a little help."

I smiled slightly, wiping the sludge of the bayou off my face. "Your timing couldn't have been better."

He grinned goofily as I looked over his shoulder. The rest of the League had formed a loose circle around the members of the Injustice League. All of whom, save for the Joker, had raised their hands in surrender.

"There will be another day," Count Vertigo muttered darkly.

"Another day?" the Joker asked incredulously. "_Another day?_ There won't be another day, not for any of us!"

His harsh laughter echoed across the bayou as Marvel shifted uncomfortably beside me. When Joker raised his hands and a collection of swollen vines rose out of the muddy water, the weird spores that ran along their length burst as soon as they had cleared the surface.

"Joker Venom spores," Batman shouted, lunging forward and acquainting his fist with the Joker's face. "Don't breathe!"

The growing cloud of dark green smoke rolled towards all of us. But before any of the members of the League could make a move, Doctor Fate appeared.

"Fear not," he boomed, his voice eerily familiar.

A glowing, gold ankh appeared in front of him as the cloud of Joker Venom disappeared, absorbed by the Doctor's magic.

"Fate has intervened!"

No one moved. Everyone just stared at Kaldur. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Is that Aqualad?" Captain Marvel asked quietly.

Not trusting myself to speak I just nodded, clenching my jaw.

Marvel looked from me back up to the slowly descending lord of order. "That's…" he trailed off as I stumbled away from him. "Ignis?"

As the League shackled the Injustice League members and prepared them for transport in a construct, courtesy of Green Lantern, I made my way to where the rest of the team had assembled. The Doctor was still hovering above our heads as I stopped next to Wally.

"What now?" I asked, my voice sounding hollow to my own ears.

He shot me a pained sidelong look but didn't respond.

"Well, we get the helmet off," Artemis said bluntly. "Right?"

Wally shook his head. "It's not that easy."

"It was when you put it on," Artemis shot back.

"I had help!" he snapped angrily.

Artemis stepped back, shocked by his outburst. Wally wasn't really one to get angry.

"Then we get him help," I insisted.

Shoulders slumped Wally shook his head again. "There's no helping him now."

I took a step away from him. "Wally—"

"Kaldur will be trapped inside the helmet forever," he said, dropping his gaze.

For a moment what he was saying just didn't compute. "No."

He reached out with the arm not inhibited by the makeshift sling. "Cay—"

"No," I said again. "You got the helmet off. There's no way we can let him stay like that!"

"Nabu wasn't going to let me go. But…" He looked at a complete loss.

"But he _did_ let you go!" I insisted. "That means there's still a chance."

"Cay."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Megan. She looked like she was about to say something but I shrugged her hand off and turned to face her.

"You knew."

She looked taken aback. "Cay… no, I didn't know!"

"The duffel was in the bioship and the only one who could have gotten to it during the fight was you," I accused.

As soon as the words were out of my mouth I felt bad. Megan looked close to tears.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly, turning away from her. Maybe she hadn't known what was in the bag. But that didn't make me feel any better.

It was wrong to blame Megan. But the fact that Kaldur might have been gone was more than I could bear.

"We need him back."

"Cay," Wally said quietly. "Think about what you're saying."

I ignored him and waded forward, the mud of the bayou sucking at my legs. "Kaldur!"

"Listen to me!" Wally stepped up beside me, placing his hand on my arm, stopping my advance. "Nabu won't ever let him go."

I just stared at the unfamiliar figure in front of me. Even in the muck of the bayou Dr. Fate was impressive. But not like Kaldur had been. The Doctor gave off a cold aura of power. He was magnificent but also terrifying.

"No," I hissed. "You're wrong."

"There's nothing we can do," he said slowly, trying to pull me back towards the team. "Maybe once we're back at the Cave. Let the League handle—"

I wrenched my arm from his grip. "We're his friends. If there's anyone who can do something, it's us."

Stepping forward I came face to face with Dr. Fate.

"Nabu," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady, "you can't have him."

The way he stared down at me almost convinced me that Wally was right. That Kaldur was gone. The gaze that met mine was so cold, so distant. It terrified me to think that that it was Kaldur. I could feel tears welling in my eyes and I did my best to hold them back.

My best wasn't good enough.

"Please."

The lump in my throat prevented me from continuing as I angrily brushed the tears that leaked from the corners of my eyes away.

There was no response. He just kept staring at me, through me. I couldn't stand it. I grabbed the front of his breastplate and pulled his helmeted face close to mine.

"We will not let you have him," I whispered hoarsely. "We need him – I need him, more than you could ever know."

I looked up into his eyes, and still, I saw nothing. I closed my eyes and rested my head on the cool metal of his breastplate. "What's a team without their leader?"

The next few moments seemed to last an eternity. The only sound was the sloshing of the bayou against our legs.

Then the metal beneath my forehead disappeared. My eyes snapped open and I looked up. Kal held the helmet in both hands above his head. Everything I wanted to say got caught in my throat.

"Cay—" he began.

Sobbing and threw my arms around his torso, cutting off whatever he was going to say.

"Nabu let you go!" Wally said incredulously from somewhere behind me.

Kal wrapped his free arm around me, as the helmet dropped to his side. "He almost did not, but your friend Kent was most helpful. He says, 'hello'." He returned his attention to me. "Cay?"

"I'm not ready to talk to you yet," I muttered into his shoulder.

He pulled me a little bit closer. "You are alright?"

I pushed myself away from his chest. "That depends on your definition of the word."

From somewhere to my left someone cleared their throat. Face reddening I turned towards the noise, Kal's arm still draped over my shoulder. What remained of the League, Captain Marvel, Zatara, Batman, and Aquaman were a few paces away. I couldn't help but notice that Aquaman was watching the two of us rather closely.

I tried to focus on Batman and pretend like I hadn't made a complete fool of myself.

"We're done here," Batman said from his place between Aquaman and Zatara. "The supervillain secret society has been neutralized. As for your performance," he paused, his gaze flickering over each member of the team, "it was satisfactory."

I brushed the lingering tears from my cheeks and looked up at Kaldur. "Don't ever do that again."

"I am sorry, but had I told you…" he trailed off. "I did not see you, or the rest of the team allowing things to proceed as they did."

"Did you know he was going to let you go?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head. "But I hoped that my reason for wanting to return would persuade Nabu against taking me as his permanent host."

The two of us turned to walk back to the team. "And he did…" I trailed off. "I'm just glad you came back."

"I will always come back for you."

Megan called down the bioship as we rejoined the team. She dropped her gaze as Kal and I stopped before them.

"Megan?" I questioned.

She smiled slightly and tossed the duffle bag to me. "Next time, I'll check the duffle."

I nodded, relieved she wasn't angry with me. "Good policy."

I slipped out from under Kal's arm and held out the duffle. He dropped the helmet in and I zipped it shut. And that was that.

Spinning on my heel I began to climb the ramp, more than ready to leave the swamp behind.

"You know, Kaldur, we're all glad you came back," Artemis said, as we all took our seats. "But not to the point where I'm going to throw myself sobbing at your chest… so, are you two…" she trailed off looking from Kal to I.

I nodded. He nodded.

"Dude!" Wally exclaimed. "When did you… I thought—"

Artemis cuffed him lightly on the back of the head before turning her attention back to Kal and I. "It took you two long enough."

Robin laughed as Wally turned to him. "What, you knew?"

With a wry grin Robin shot a meaningful glance at Kaldur. "I believe I knew before they did."

* * *

**A/N:**

Okay guys I'm back! Sorry that this update was so long coming… I got a little stuck. But now I'm back on track and everything is awesome!

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. We passed 100 guys! And an especially big thank you to Caysfan who is awesome. Seriously, come be my friend. Please.

And to whoever put a rec for the story on tumblr! I saw it and I died a little!

Anyway, ballpoints is trying to get me on a two week schedule. Which may succeed… or may fail horribly. I'm going to say it's probably going to fail horribly. But the next update will definitely not take four months. I promise.


	17. The New Girl

Alright,

I realize this has been a long time coming. And I am so sorry. However I have many excuses, which I would like to think are good ones. I hope you enjoy this new chapter. I'm going to try and post the next one after my exams finish up in early November.

V.K.

* * *

"What did I say about not hearing from you and assuming you were dead!?"

Holding the phone away from my ear I sighed. Draped across the couch with ice packs soothing my many aches and pains the last thing I wanted was a shouting match with Jack. Especially when it was one that I was sure to lose.

"I think I've apologized enough during the course of this conversation," I replied, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice. "I called you as soon as I could. Phones have been down since the plant attacks."

"You could have come to Metropolis," he grumbled.

"Walking," I laughed bitterly. "You're funny. All I want to do is chill on the couch and ice my many wounds."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth I regretted them.

"What wounds?"

"Okay, that was a poor way to put it. Don't freak out—" I began.

"No. No. You said wounds. I am completely allowed to freak out," he paused and then went on, his voice tight. "I thought Canary was teaching you to defend yourself!"

Sighing, I shrugged. "She is, but the whole getting hit… thing. I'm working on it, okay? And fighting against the Injustice League—"

"They sent you against the Injustice League?!" again he was shouting.

"Yes," I groaned, dropping my head back onto the arm rest of the couch, "they did."

"Well that's…" he paused, searching for a word to adequately express his displeasure. "Irresponsible!"

"Jack, am I talking to you right now?"

After a moment he offered a begrudging reply: "Yes."

"Then everything turned out fine. The League wouldn't send us against something they didn't think we could handle." His silence I took for assent and I decided to change the subject. "So… what're you doing now?"

There was a pause before he responded. "I have a surprise for you."

"Does it involve me leaving the couch?" I asked with a small laugh.

"Yes Cay, you will have to leave the couch," he replied with a theatrical sigh. "But trust me you're going to love it!"

Swinging my legs over the side of the couch I rolled my shoulders wincing as they cracked and popped noisily. Canary had assured me that I would be back to normal in a couple days.

"Care to give me a hint that will motivate me enough to walk over to the transporter?"

"Well…" he cleared his throat. "Pet, would you like some tea or perhaps—"

His atrocious accent coupled with the high falsetto of his voice made me laugh so hard my sides hurt. I was on my feet and running to the transporter as soon as I had caught my breath.

"Why didn't you tell me she was back!?" I asked, skidding to a stop just short of the blades of the transporter.

Jack laughed, abandoning his terrible impression of Miss Spruce. "She just showed up at my door a few minutes ago. I've been waiting for the right moment."

"Because it's all about finding the right moment."

"You on your way?" he asked.

"You know it!"

"See you soon, kiddo."

With that I flipped my phone shut and stepped into the rotating blades of the transporter. Miss Spruce was back.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Oh pet, it's so good to see you!"

She was squeezing me so hard all I could manage was a muffled groan. After a moment she released me and placed her hands on my shoulders.

"Let me have a look at you."

Her expression darkened as she took in the dark circle around my left eye and my swollen left cheek. I was glad I had thrown on a hoodie that morning. The bruises and scrapes up my arms would not have made the situation that was brewing any better.

I smiled and attempted to shrug her hands off. "We got back from a mission late last night. It's nothing to worry about."

"Codswallop!" Miss Spruce exclaimed as she pulled me in through the apartment door.

Jack and I exchanged a glance as he tossed his keys onto the chest of drawers that stood in the entrance way.

"I have no idea what you just said, Miss Spruce," he said after a moment.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to her crazy outdated slang," I supplied. "It's very British."

Miss Spruce shot us both a disapproving look but ignored my comment. "You need to be more careful, pet."

Frowning I dropped down onto the living room couch. "I am careful."

As she stood over me, a sad smile tugging at her lips, Miss Spruce nodded. "I know what you've been up to."

There was something about the way she said it that I knew instantly what she was talking about.

"Bialya."

"I personally tracked the Batman down and we had words," she stated matter-of-factly her expression hardening.

"Miss Spruce!"

Raising an eyebrow she crossed her arms. "If I leave you in their care they bloody well better keep track of you. And keep you in one piece!"

"It wasn't their fault," I said after a moment of silence.

"They were meant to keep you safe. And keeping track of Tess' movements was part of that." Miss Spruce sounded tired.

"I don't understand why she was there—"

"Did she say anything?" Jack interrupted.

I turned in my seat to look at him. His voice was tight and even though he looked calm leaning up against the counter I could see his knuckles turning white as he gripped the granite's edge.

"I don't remember," I said quickly. "She was there but everything is kind of fuzzy—"

"You didn't mention her when you got back," he said shortly.

"It wasn't that important…" Pausing I tried to collect myself. I remembered snippets of my conversation with Tess but at that point everything was still a jumbled mess. However, I did remember one thing. Lex Luthor.

"What can you remember?" Jack asked, halting my train of thought.

"Not much." I looked from him to Miss Spruce. The way Jack was acting made me a little suspicious. And Miss Spruce always knew more than she let on. "Like I said she wasn't making sense."

"Well, she is crazy," Jack pointed out helpfully. "I wouldn't give what she said much thought."

But from the tightness in his jaw and the way he wouldn't meet my gaze I wasn't so sure that he would was just going to let it lie.

"I'm going to put on some tea," Miss Spruce said matter-of-factly.

As she disappeared into the kitchen I leaned back into the couch. I hadn't thought about Bialya in a while and I wanted to keep it that way. I didn't know what had happened. Truthfully, a part of me didn't even want to know what had happened.

"You and Amy survived the plants?" I asked wanting to get away from the subject entirely. Eventually I would have to address it but until then…

Letting go of the counter ledge Jack uttered a forced laugh. "That we did. In the lap of luxury to boot."

"You stayed in the hotel?"

"They wouldn't let us leave!" he conceded. "Amy was peeved because she wanted to get a look at the damage the plants had done downtown."

"It was probably best she didn't leave," I said. "Those things were nasty."

Jack nodded. "We saw the footage of them releasing the gas."

"Yeah, they did that in the bayou too."

For a minute we sat in silence, listening to Miss Spruce bustling around the kitchen. I swung my legs up onto the couch and stretched out on my back. It was far more comfortable than sitting upright.

"So, how did you fare against the Injustice League?" Jack asked, breaking the stretching silence. "Uh, neglecting the more violent details."

"That's no fun," I replied, feigning disappointment. "That basically leaves the flight there and the flight back."

Grimacing Jack settled into the chair across the coffee table from me. "Alright, give me all the gory details. Let's hear it."

Propping myself up on my elbow I started at when I had left him at the hotel.

It took a while for me to get through everything that had happened. Miss Spruce appeared on the couch next to me, tea in hand around the time I began recounting my part in the fight against the Injustice League. She and Jack just sat there, silent and thoughtful as I tried to skim over Kaldur's short time as Doctor Fate and my small emotional breakdown in front of the assembled members of the League.

At that point Jack couldn't contain himself. "Your boyfriend became the temporary conduit for a Lord of Order? Geez Cay, you know how to pick 'em."

Miss Spruce, always one to focus on the important aspects of a comment such as Jack's: "You have a boyfriend?"

"Probably should have let you in on that one, eh?" Jack chuckled.

His grin faded as Miss Spruce shot him a withering glare.

"What?" he yelped.

Miss Spruce turned to me. "But it's all sorted, yes?"

"Yes," I lied. Kaldur had done something incredibly stupid. And he could have included me in it. Instead he chose not to. And even though I wasn't the only one on the team to be left out, I still felt that I should have been included.

Leaning back in his chair Jack whistled, distracting me from my thoughts. "Pretty big mission."

I nodded. "Yeah."

"But it sounds like you made out pretty well."

For a moment I didn't respond. I had made out pretty well. But I hadn't actually beaten any of the villains I had fought. In fact, if Captain Marvel hadn't shown up when he did… I had left that part out of my retelling. There wasn't any use in getting Miss Spruce and Jack all worked up. It was done.

But… since the flight back from Louisiana there had been a nagging thought at the back of my mind; that I still wasn't strong enough to be on the team.

"Yeah, I did pretty well," I conceded with a forced smile.

Jack looked to Miss Spruce. She seemed to know where he was going with the conversation and immediately she looked worried.

"I—" Jack began.

"No!" Miss Spruce interrupted.

I shot a glance at her and then at Jack. "Miss Spruce?"

Something unspoken passed between them before she replied.

"I think we've had enough excitement for one day," she said. "Perhaps we could discuss this at a later date—"

"She's old enough to make her own choices," Jack snapped. "And you aren't putting this off any longer. I gave you time to find me an alternative and you couldn't."

I chucked a pillow off the couch at him. "Hey, don't be like that!"

Snatching the pillow out of the air Jack placed it next to him on the couch. Miss Spruce edged closer to me looking tense.

"Cay, I have come into possession of something that could entirely change you," he started, clasping his hands before him.

Intrigued, I swung myself up into a sitting position causing my ribs to twinge painfully. "What is it?"

Miss Spruce shot Jack a venomous look. "I told you—"

"And I told you," Jack replied, calmer this time. "She needs this."

"I need what?" I asked.

"Do you remember Dr. Serling Roquette?"

"Oh yeah, I remember her," I snorted. How could I forget her? "She was that nanotech expert right? Short, blonde, completely unappreciative."

"Yes, in a nutshell that is Serling," Jack agreed with a terse laugh. "Your father never liked her much either."

I shot him a questioning look. "My father knew Roquette?

Nodding dismissively he continued: "You saw the Fog she designed?"

"I never saw it, but I know what it did."

"Okay, so, cutting to the chase," he said, clapping his hands together and rising off the chair. "You can't manipulate the gel your body produces. All you can do is ooze, right?"

Crossing my arms I uttered an unimpressed snort. "Yes."

"Don't give me that look. I'm just making sure we're on the same page. Anyway, your father realized that fact a few years after you were born. And, let's be serious, how useful is just being able to light yourself on fire?"

"How about I light myself up and then give you a hug?" I bristled. "Then we'll see how useful it is."

"I'm not saying you're useless," he said calmly. "But, in a fight do you really want to get close enough to your opponent that they could hug you back? Look, Roquette and your father designed you something that can manipulate the gel in ways you can't even imagine—"

"It could _possibly_ give her mental control over the gel," Miss Spruce interjected quickly. "You don't know for sure. Hell, Serling said—"

"Serling has gotten too cautious for her own good," Jack interrupted, his voice gradually rising in volume.

"And you're far too lax with something that could seriously hurt your goddaughter," Miss Spruce responded icily.

I opened my mouth to try and calm Miss Spruce down but Jack beat me to it.

"It's her choice!" Jack argued.

"No. Not this time."

Personally, I couldn't understand why Miss Spruce was so against Roquette's invention, but I decided to stay quiet. Obviously she and Jack knew more about it than I did.

Jack was livid. "Look at her. Does she look like she doesn't need this?" He briefly glanced over at me. "I want to give her as much of a chance at coming home as I possibly can. I refuse to just sit here and hope that she'll come back!"

"And you think this shot in the dark will do that?" Miss Spruce shook her head, all the venom gone from her voice. "Jack, there was a reason William didn't—"

"Yes," Jack replied curtly. "I know. But it's better now."

"You're wrong."

And with that she rose up off the couch next to me. "Cay, as much as it pains me to say it, this is your decision. Do whatever you think is right."

I took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "The team has my back."

But I wanted to have there's too. "What can it do?"

Jack's expression didn't change. He looked from me to Miss Spruce before wordlessly spinning on his heel and walking out of the room.

"Where is—" I began before Miss Spruce shushed me.

"Just wait."

Moments later, Jack was back, a nondescript briefcase in his hand. All business he put the briefcase on the coffee table and flipped it open. Nestled in the dark grey foam lining the case were two vials and a gun-like syringe.

"It wasn't until after your mission with the team that Serling got into contact with me," Jack said, loading one of the vials into the syringe. "For the last few years your father has had her working to develop a type of nanotech that bridges the failings of your powers. They were in the final testing stages when he died. Because of that and the threat posed by the Shadows she put the project on hold. She didn't even plan on completing it, that is, until she met you."

"And here I was thinking she was just an unappreciative jerk," I said dryly.

"Serling is… a genius," Jack admitted after a moment. "But her bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. However, after she met you she got in contact with me and finished her work on… for lack a better word, nanites. From the trials she's run they should integrate seamlessly with your processes and—"

"Jack," Miss Spruce said warningly.

He sighed. "From the computer trials she's run, there's a success rate that's minimally off of one hundred percent. No side effects, nothing."

"And what about the minimal number of unsuccessful trials?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer. Jack's offer was too good to be true. It had to be.

"In a handful of the trials, nothing. The nanites were useless and didn't integrate with the body." Again he sighed. "But in the majority of the failed trials a complete system shut down was observed. The body essentially turned in on itself and destroyed everything the nanites had integrated themselves with."

I had no response to that. On one hand I could finally acquire the means to become a threat to the villains we would undoubtedly face in the future. On the other, I could possibly die horribly if the nanites didn't work as they were supposed to.

For a moment, I wondered what the team would say if I went through with it. They wouldn't have to be looking out for me. Maybe Kaldur would finally stop trying to keep everyone on the team safe. Maybe, for once, I could be the one doing the saving.

"I'll do it."

The words were out of my mouth before I had time to process what I was saying.

"Pet," Miss Spruce said worriedly, taking my hand in hers.

I smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." I turned to look at Jack. "And so does he."

"I like to think so," Jack replied with a shaky smile. He brandished the syringe in one hand and an alcohol swab in the other. "Ready?"

"Are you qualified to do this?" I asked jokingly as he sat down beside me and took my arm.

"As qualified as you can be to shoot nanites into the arm of a teenage superhero," he replied, trying to mask the tremor in his voice. "The first vial contains the nanites. The second contains stuff the nanites need to keep their supply up. Every now and then you'll need to replenish the supply manually, but Serling is pretty sure that will be every couple years. They're very efficient, you know—"

There was a sharp pinch as Jack slid the needle into my arm and I yelped. As the solution in the vial disappeared into my arm he grinned. "Did you like my distraction method?"

"Very smooth," I conceded as he extracted the needle. "Other arm?"

He nodded and undertook the same process after having changed the needle on the end of the syringe.

When all was said and done I didn't feel any different. The two of them watched me closely for what seemed like hours before Jack finally flipped on the TV and turned his attention to the ongoing football game between Metropolis and Gotham.

Miss Spruce rose to her feet. "Tea, pet?"

I shook my head as I held up my still half full cup and she disappeared off into the kitchen.

And that was how we spent the rest of the day. I eventually made Jack change the channel once he was sure that Metropolis was guaranteed a win. By the time five thirty rolled around and Miss Spruce had thrown together dinner, I realized that I needed to get back to the Cave.

Jack, looking more than a little disappointed, asked me once again if I felt any different.

"Sorry Jack, looks like this is one of the trials that didn't quite work out."

And I was a little disappointed myself. But it was better than my entire body shutting down, right? I resigned myself to the fact that I would just have to work harder at my hand to hand training. Eventually, maybe I would be able to hold my own.

"No, I'm sorry," Jack replied. "I just… It should have worked."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure Roquette will figure it out."

Jack didn't respond so I turned to Miss Spruce. "I'll see you later?"

"I'm going to be getting the house in order," she said. "You come home whenever you want. I'll be there."

"Thanks Miss Spruce," I laughed as she pulled me into a fierce hug. "I'll drop by soon."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Jack gave me a ride back to the transporter outside the Daily Planet headquarters. He was unusually quiet but I just assumed that he was upset about the nanites not working. And it left me to my own thoughts, which quickly turned to what he had said about worrying about me while I was out with the team… it bugged me. I didn't want him to worry. But I also didn't want to go back to how I had been.

I wasn't sure at what point I had realized it, but I could never go back to how I had been. Thanks to my father I had become something more.

"You know I'll always come back, right?" I blurted out as the car slowed to a stop by the curb.

Not taking his eyes off the road he asked: "Can you promise me that?"

I didn't need to think about the answer. "Yes."

He turned to me, his face somber. "Then I'll hold you to that."

And that was it. We exchanged goodbyes and I slid out of the passenger's seat. But as I walked away I couldn't help but feel that I had said the wrong thing.

As I stopped before the phone booth I took a deep breath. No matter what, I decided, I would keep my promise to Jack. Because I knew what it felt like to not know if someone you cared about was going to make it home. And I refused to put anyone through that.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Stepping into the Cave the Sphere came tearing into the room, beeping and whirring excitedly, Wolf hot on its heels. The two of them skidded to a stop before me, Wolf panting heavily, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. The subsequent drool that pooled on the floor before me made me grimace. As much as I loved the newest addition to the Cave I couldn't quite get over the hair and the drool.

"Hi Sphere," I laughed. "Hi Wolf."

Scratching Wolf behind the ears and offering Sphere a good natured pat I walked out of the room. The two of them trailed after me as I made my way into the TV room.

"Cay!" came Megan's happy cry as I walked through the door. "Where have you been?"

Wolf pushed passed me to join Conner on the couch.

"Hey," he greeted, momentarily looking away from the static that filled the TV screen.

"Hi! Miss Spruce came back!" I said excitedly, in response to Megan's question.

"That's great," she replied. "Is she going to visit the Cave anytime soon? She left me a bunch of recipes but I'm not sure about the fruitcake one…"

I laughed. "If you want help making fruitcake she would be more than happy to lend a hand. We can pay her a visit at the house. I'm sure she'd love that. In fact, so would I. I love fruitcake."

"I've never tried it," Megan conceded. "But I'd like to. Cake and fruit, I like them both on their own so why not together?"

"Exactly," I agreed.

From the hallway I heard someone uttered a derisive snort. "You'd be surprised."

Artemis appeared in the doorway, followed closely by Robin and Wally.

"Are you dissing fruitcake Artemis?" I asked feigning shock.

"And here I was thinking you had good taste," she laughed.

"Even I don't eat fruit cake," Wally admitted. "Well, unless I'm really hungry."

"And that's saying something," Robin added with a wry grin.

"Why not? What's not to like?" Megan interjected. "Miss Spruce said it was Cay's favorite."

Wally and Robin grimaced.

"Take our word for it Megan," Robin said. "It's nasty."

"But if Cay likes it I'd like to make it for her!"

"As long as you promise to make something edible for the rest of us, Greencheeks, you go right ahead," Wally grinned.

Shaking my head I turned away from them and began rummaging around the fridge. When I realized the conversation had died I turned back to them.

"So, what time is Canary coming tomorrow?"

And when Artemis moved to respond, I could see her mouth moving but I couldn't register what she was saying.

"What?" I tried to ask, but it seemed that my voice was gone as well.

It was when I realized that I couldn't hear the static from the TV that something was terribly wrong.

Robin and Wally exchanged glances, their lips moving in silent conversation. Artemis just stared at me for a moment. I could tell she knew something was going on.

I tried to take a step towards them, but found I had very little control of my legs. The last thing I remember was the horrified look on Megan's face before I passed out.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The next thing I knew I was lying on the cold concrete of a dark walled room. My vision was blurred and I was painfully aware of a pounding in my temples. I pushed myself up into a sitting position.

How I had ended up lying in the bare walled, dusty floored room was a mystery.

As I turned around I recognized a pile of clothes lying in two disorganized heaps. Next to them was the charred outline of a doorframe.

_What is going on? _I thought blearily.

Rising to my feet I tottered over to examine the door. There was no handle so I threw my shoulder up against it, trying to push it inwards. It wouldn't budge and after a few failed attempts at forcing the door open I gave up. As I backed away I noticed my shoulder and arm were blackened with what looked like soot.

My gaze dropped to the floor. What I had thought was dust was actually ash. It seemed everything in the room had been burnt to a crisp.

As I brushed a hand absently across the thigh of my pants there was a grating sound from across the room. I tensed and spun to face where the noise was coming from. It stopped after a moment and I could hear snippets of a muffled conversation.

Suddenly, everything seemed to click into place.

The clothes… My clothes.

My room.

The last thing I could remember was walking into the Cave. Talking to Megan, Artemis, Wally, Robin, and Conner.

I had never left.

Of course the next thing that struck me: _Did I do this?_

"Guys?" I called. "Can you hear me?"

Assuming that I really was still in the Cave, I reasoned the voices I had heard before had been those of my teammates. It was reassuring, as the state of my room did not bode well for the condition of the rest of the Cave.

There was silence on the opposite side of the wall.

"Hello?"

Again, there was no response.

Taking a step back I looked around. For a moment, I was at a loss. Obviously my attempts to burn my way out had gone poorly. It seemed all that had succeeded in doing was melting the doors shut.

Of course, I knew how it had happened. Roquette's nanites.

I took a step back towards where the door should have been. "Guys I—"

The rest of what I had to say was drowned out by the screeching of metal. As I stumbled backward, trying to figure out what was going on, the wall caved in. Dust and mortar spilled into my room as Conner stepped in.

He looked me up and down. "You're alright."

The way he said it made me think he was shocked at my relative well being.

"Uh, yeah," was my intelligent response. "What's up?"

"Cay!" Megan cried, rushing through the doorway and throwing her arms around my neck. "We were so worried!"

I returned the hug with a little less enthusiasm. I was still worried about the state of the Cave. "What happened?"

Robin and Wally crowded in through the hole in my wall. They exchanged looks as Megan took a step away from me.

"You…" her voice faltered. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Uh, not really," I admitted, crossing my arms. "But based on the state of my room I guess things got a little out of control."

She still looked concerned, and even Wally and Robin hadn't made any stupid cracks about my burnt out room. "Nothing happened to the Cave right? No one got hurt?"

"Everyone's fine," Robin cut in. "But you—"

Artemis appeared in the hole in my wall. Her eyes widened as she stepped through to stand next to Wally.

"You're okay?" she asked incredulously.

I opened my mouth to respond, but Robin cut in: "Cay, you've been in here for three days."

For a moment I didn't respond. "What?"

And then Megan, Wally and Artemis were all talking at once:

"We were talking about fruitcake—"

"Your eyes just rolled back in your head—"

"You were oozing everywhere and then Conner—"

"Enough."

Everyone stopped talking at once and all eyes turned to Kaldur standing on the hallway side of the wall.

Robin's holocomputer beeped as he and Wally stepped aside to let Kal through. Looking down he tapped a few keys.

"Initial scans are complete. Vitals are normal," he muttered.

"Scans?" I questioned. "What's—"

"You are alright?" Kal interrupted.

I watched him carefully for a moment. He looked calm but the tightness in his jaw and the set of his shoulders betrayed him; he was upset.

"Yes."

"Perhaps we should move this little shindig to somewhere with more room," Wally suggested. "And some couches."

"Anything that makes you more comfortable Wally," Artemis replied with a good natured roll of her eyes.

"The debriefing room's computer screens would make it easier to display everything we know about what's going on," Robin said to Kal.

With a slight nod of his head the two of them stepped into the hall. Conner, Megan, and Wally were close behind, leaving Artemis and I standing in the room.

"You majorly freaked us out," she said quietly as I hopped over the wall. "Kaldur was…"

"Worried?" I supplied.

"That's one word for it."

I groaned. "Perfect. Care to elaborate on the whole 'oozing everywhere' thing?"

With a laugh she motioned to the lines of blackened tile along the floor. "Wally had the good sense to confine you to one place. Unfortunately, he didn't realize how volatile you were. But Conner managed to get you in your room. And I quite enjoyed the fact you burnt off his shirt."

As we made our way out of the kitchen and into the TV room I paused. There was a stray pudding cup and a spoon sitting on the counter. My stomach growled loudly as I snatched it up and ripped off the lid.

Artemis watched me devour it as we crossed into the debriefing room with a mixture of revulsion and surprise. "You would give Wally a run for his money. Hungry much?"

"I'm starving," I said around the final mouthful.

"Apparently."

If she had any more to say regarding my ravenous appetite she kept it to herself as we stopped in front of the main holoscreen.

"So…" Wally started, looking from me to Robin. "Are we ready?"

I looked to Kaldur. He refused to look in my direction, choosing instead to watch what Robin was doing on the computer.

"Almost," Robin said offhandedly.

"I'm glad you're alright," Megan said, appearing next to me and looping her arm through mine.

"So am I," I replied. "But… could you just tell me what—"

"It's easier to show you," Robin interjected.

The holoscreen lit up with an image of the team and I. As the video began to play I recognized our conversation about the pros and cons of fruitcake.

"Initially, your vitals were stable," Robin continued. "Even after you passed out."

As he said it, I saw myself stagger forward and crash to the ground. Everyone converged on me, their voices a cacophony of concern and worry.

"But once you started, for lack of a better word, oozing—"

"Oozing everywhere," Wally added helpfully.

"We realized that you needed to be isolated before you came into contact with some sort of ignition source," Robin continued, heedless of Wally's interruption.

The scene on the holoscreen had changed to that of Wally heaving me up off the floor and taking off for my room.

"I almost made it too," he said as the video changed to one of the hallway leading to my room, "broken arm and all. I didn't think you would go up halfway down the hall."

And of course, as he said it, the same thing happened on the holoscreen as the camera angle changed. Wally dropped me, sending me sprawling down the hall flames licking at the walls.

"You're okay?" I asked, tearing my eyes away from the screen.

"Yeah, don't worry. And I've totally learned my lesson, you're just too hot to handle." Immediately he cast a glance at Kal his grin fading. "You know, if you're into combustible brunettes."

I looked back up to the holoscreen to see Conner scooping me up off the floor and disappearing into my room, my flaming form held at arm's length.

"My favorite part," Artemis whispered under her breath.

I smiled slightly as the images on the screen froze. "Good to know."

"So… that's what happened on our end," Robin explained. "Once you were confined to your room we contacted the League. All that they could do was supply you with enough oxygen to keep you alive until you managed to burn yourself out. Which took a while, surprisingly enough." He pulled up a bunch of meaningless charts and displays. "We lost you a couple times, you overheated the sensors. But every time your vitals reappeared after a few hours." He trailed off, the holoscreens powering down as he stepped away from the computer. "Care to fill us in on what was actually going on?"

"You haven't talked to Jack?" I asked. "Or Miss Spruce?"

"No," Kaldur replied shortly.

Shifting my weight from foot to foot I tried to think of a way to tell them what I had done to myself.

"Well," I began, "it's… do you remember Serling Roquette?" Not waiting for a response I continued: "She and my father were acquainted and he commissioned her to create some sort of nanotech that would let me utilize the gel to its full potential."

"Which means?" Wally pressed.

"Nanotech that would give you complete control of the gel," Robin guessed. "Right?"

I nodded. "Right."

There was silence for a moment.

"Was it supposed to do that?" Conner asked.

"No," I replied, shaking my head. "It wasn't. Jack was pretty sure that they hadn't had any effect on me. That's why I came back. I assumed that it would have been an instantaneous failure, if there was going to be any."

"So… was what happened something that Jack would consider a success?" Artemis asked. "Or a failure?"

"I don't know," I conceded. "I'm not dead, but I don't feel any different."

"Well, there's an easy way to check," Robin said, brandishing his wrist computer. "Just give me a minute."

I cast a glance at Kal. He was watching me carefully, his face expressionless. As much as I wanted to reassure the team that I was fine, all I wanted to do was talk to him.

Letting out a low whistle Robin walked towards me, tapping keys on his wrist device. "Knowing what to look for makes things much easier. Check this out."

The holoscreen of his device was lit up with an image of a humanoid form.

"Full body scan," he explained as the rest of the team gathered around us. "It's calibrated to isolate non-organic elements."

"So what exactly are we looking at?" Artemis asked impatiently.

"The nanites," Wally replied. "Duh."

"Of course," she grumbled. "How could I not realize?"

"They're everywhere," Megan observed.

And she was right. Robin's scan had isolated the nanites and they were a bright green against the stark black of the background of the rest of the body.

"Geez Cay," Wally breathed. "No wonder you went all—" rolling his eyes back in his head he twitched his arms spastically for a moment before returning to normal. "If you know what I mean."

Crossing my arms I shrugged. "Yeah, but I don't think Jack really expected that to happen."

"What part of 'integrate with your nervous system' sounds like it will have zero negative repercussions?" Conner put in.

I remained silent. Maybe things hadn't gone completely to plan but this could mean that the nanites were effective.

"Maybe with the changes made to your physiology the nanites affected you differently than Jack expected," Artemis suggested.

"They were made for me though."

The rest of the team exchanged looks.

"Perhaps—" unable to complete his sentence Kaldur looked increasingly unimpressed as the computer announced the arrival of Black Canary.

As she stepped through the transporter her eyes widened as they settled on me.

"Cay!"

She was across the room and had a hand on either of my shoulders before I could respond.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

Smiling reassuringly I nodded: "I'm fine."

For a second she looked unsure of what to make of me. Her eyes flitted about the room, finally resting on the team. "Good."

Apparently deciding on her course of action she motioned to the door. "Can you all give us a moment?"

My stomach dropped. The team was obviously freaked out, but what about the League? Canary didn't look angry so that was something. But as my friends filed out of the room, dragging their feet, Kaldur remained.

"Kaldur?" Canary questioned.

"Apologies but—" he began.

Shaking her head Canary held up her hand for quiet, cutting him off. "It's fine Kaldur, I understand."

He advanced towards me, stopping once he reached Canary's side. Both of them stared at me.

"Well now it really feels like an interrogation," I joked weakly.

Canary smiled good naturedly. "It's nothing of the sort."

Kaldur remained silent, his level gaze setting me on edge. Out of everyone on the team he seemed the most perturbed by my little stunt.

"So, Cay, how do you feel?" Canary asked.

Her eyes met mine and I shrugged.

"I guess I feel pretty good," I conceded.

"We didn't quite know what to make of your…" she struggled to find the right word. "What happened. But to see you up and walking around is a good start."

"By 'we' do you mean 'the League'?" I questioned hesitantly.

Canary nodded. "Luckily, we weren't kept completely in the dark. Jack realized what was happening and got in contact with us when he couldn't reach you."

"He and Miss Spruce are alright?"

"Yes, they were both alerted to what was happening. All that's left to do is to let them know you're out of your room."

"Perfect," I groaned. "How was Jack?"

With a small laugh Canary nodded to the transporter. "They should be here shortly."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Canary didn't give me time to talk to Kaldur before Miss Spruce and Jack appeared through the rotating blades of the transporter, and for that I was jointly relieved and upset. The sideways looks and the seemingly perpetual tightness of his jaw made me sure that he had something to say about my predicament. And I had already decided exactly what to say to him.

At this point we were even. He had his little stunt with the Helmet of Fate. I had made the mistake of launching myself headlong into the nanites.

I was sitting on the couch wedged between Wally and Artemis when Miss Spruce and Jack came through the transporter accompanied by Captain Marvel.

Before I could do anything Miss Spruce had turned on Jack. "You're lucky she's alright, you pompous fool."

"I told you she would be fine," he retorted, taking a step back as Captain Marvel looked on worriedly.

"Pet," Miss Spruce said, turning away from him. "How do you feel?"

Sliding out from between Wally and Artemis I shrugged. "Feeling pretty good."

I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on me as I walked towards them. Canary following behind me Jack and Miss Spruce fell into step behind her and we left the team in the TV room. Once the door slid shut behind us Jack turned to me.

"Cay…" he trailed off, at a loss.

"It's fine," I replied reassuringly. "I'm fine."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Most of what went on after that I didn't really understand. Jack had information for Canary and the rest of the League pertaining to what exactly Roquette had created, and he explained to her his and my father's part in it. Their talk lasted several hours and by the time I walked out of the debriefing room everyone had vacated the TV room. Sighing, I decided to grab a bag of chips and retreat to the room Canary had put my clothes and everything that had managed to survive the fire into. It was identical to my old room, save for the fact that it lacked an attached bathroom. But I was fine with using the showers near the training rooms until I could arrange something else.

I wanted to go to bed, but something had been nagging at the back of my mind since I had left Canary, Jack, and Miss Spruce. What would happen when I used my powers? There was no way of knowing if I would just spontaneously combust, or if they would even work, that's what Jack had said.

As all of this ran through my mind I heard a knock at my door. It was late, but I assumed Megan would stop to check in on me before she went to bed. But it wasn't Megan, instead the door slid open to reveal Kaldur.

Immediately the bag of chips I had eaten felt like a lump of lead in my gut. And everything I had wanted to say just slid from my mind. Even before he opened his mouth I could tell he was still angry. It appeared the time had done nothing to improve his mood.

"Cay, I… It is necessary that I speak with you. What you did put the entire team at risk, not to mention yourself," he stated, his voice low and controlled. "You should consulted us first before—"

"Oh that is rich," I interrupted, my temper flaring. "Maybe if you had consulted us about your little stunt with the Helmet of Fate we could have avoided nearly losing our leader!"

He clenched his jaw, trying to maintain his composure. "That was a necessary risk to ensure the success of the mission."

The insinuation that what I had done wasn't necessary made my blood boil. Jack had been right. The way I was, there was a possibility I could die while fighting alongside my teammates. Or worse, I could be powerless to stop them from having to sacrifice themselves; like what had happened in the bayou. Why couldn't Kaldur see that?

"It was selfish of you and you only did it because you thought the rest of us couldn't pull our weight!"

"That is not why I—"

"It doesn't matter," I snapped, cutting him off again. "What's done is done."

There was a loud crack as he brought his fist down onto the dresser he was standing next to. "It does matter!"

Before I could open my mouth to respond he had strode across the room and was standing in front of me. "I am sorry for what happened during our last mission. But I _did not_ don the helmet because the team was not capable. And it was certainly not because I felt you were incapable of facing the Injustice League."

The anger in his face was gone, replaced by something different. And at that moment I lost all the venom in my voice. "Then why?"

"For the same reason you felt it necessary to employ Dr. Roquette's nanites without knowing the outcome of such an endeavor," he replied, his voice lowering and his face softening.

I dropped my gaze to examine the duvet under my crossed legs.

"Cay, do not think yourself below the rest of this team."

There was a hard lump forming in my throat. It wasn't the first time Kaldur had told me that I was important to the team. But for some reason I had always considered myself to be the only one who couldn't pull their weight. That I was the reason Kal had donned the helmet. And in that brief instant I realized that Jack wasn't the only one who was worried that I wouldn't come home.

"You don't… you shouldn't have to always be the one who makes sure the rest of us get home safe," I said after a few moments of silence.

Carefully lowering himself onto the edge of the bed he sighed. "I agreed to lead this team. It is one of the responsibilities I have accepted."

"Well it can't be at the cost of your life." I met his level gaze. "Because you have people that want you to come back safe too."

"But I have—"

"Kal, I agreed to use the nanites because losing someone you care about is the worst pain imaginable. And I won't put Jack, or Miss Spruce, or anyone on this team through that. Especially you."

For a moment he just stared at me.

I sighed and, unfolding my legs, slid onto the edge of the bed next to him. "If we lost you there would be no more team."

And with that I wrapped my arms around him. "I promise not to do anything that may put my life in danger without first consulting you and the team."

He returned the gesture, resting his one arm on my shoulders, the other fitting snugly into the small of my back. "Is that a promise you can truly keep?"

I had to laugh at that. "It's the thought that counts."

"You are truly something," he laughed quietly.

Resting my head in the hollow of his neck I sighed.

"And I am sorry for what transpired in the bayou," he finished.

"I know," was my muffled reply. "Just leave the helmet at home next time."

"Indeed."

Lifting my head I grinned at him. "Want to watch a movie?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Is it anything like 'Sharktopus'?"

I laughed. "That is a cinematic masterpiece."

"So you and Wally continue to claim."

"How about you can choose this time," I said, slowly extricating myself from his arms.

Kal mulled it over for a moment before smiling slightly. "I believe I have an idea."

As it turns out Kal's idea of a good movie was a three hour epic based off of some Jane Austen novel. Half an hour into the pretentious dialogue I fell asleep on his shoulder. Which made up for the fact I would have to wait until the next night to watch _Sharktopus 2: From the Deep_; something I had been waiting to come out for ages. 'Cause, let's be serious, who doesn't love movies about giant, killer octopus-shark hybrids?

Well, there was Kal, but he was always a good sport about watching them with me. Though I'm sure he always wondered why I loved the terrible acting and crappy effects to the extent I did. What can I say, horrible, CGI'd movie monsters are the best.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The next morning I woke up feeling better than I had in a long time. My shoulders no longer ached and my bruises had faded to the yellowish brown colour that tended to precede their complete disappearance. As I walked out of my room I felt a rush of air and suddenly Wally was beside me.

"Good morning beautiful," he chuckled, adjusting the sling that held his broken arm. "I was just on my way to wake you up."

"Were you?" I grinned, rolling my shoulders. "And why was that?"

Wally shot me a sidelong glance. "Uh, training?"

"Right."

He laughed and took a massive bite out of an energy bar he had seemingly produced from nowhere. "Yeah, the Team's been at it for a while. Canary figured you could sleep in, but I guess she thought noon was a bit excessive, so, here I am!"

Looking down at the running shorts and tank top I had thrown on I grinned. "Unfortunately I'm dressed for it. So how could I refuse?"

"Fun fact, what Canary says, goes," Wally chuckled through the mouthful of energy bar he was chewing.

"So, what's going on?" I asked, hoping that I had missed the beach run Canary had been so fond of forcing us to take for the last two weeks. I had always hated cross country in gym class.

"Canary said they would start sparring when you got there, y'know for equal numbers," he replied.

"Cool."

As we walked through the door into the training room Robin's match with Canary came to an abrupt end as she caught his ankle mid-kick and flipped him onto the ground, effectively pinning him.

Wally laughed, "Rob, I'm so whelmed."

"Good morning Cay!" Megan said cheerily, flitting to land lightly next to me.

"Morning guys," I replied, looking from her to Artemis, to Kal, to Conner. "Miss me?"

"Of course," Canary cut in, helping Robin up off the ground. "But I figured you deserved a break from anything too strenuous. Starting you off slowly is probably the safest course of action, considering we don't know how the nanites may have affected your nervous system."

I nodded. "Sure."

"Well, now that you're here Cay the six of you can pair off. Cay with Megan, Artemis with Conner, and Robin with Kaldur," she instructed, gesturing to each of the pairings in turn. "Get to it."

Striding off the exercise floor to stand next to Wally's lawn chair Canary crossed her arms, waiting for us to begin.

I looked over to Megan, she smiled slightly as we moved off to the left hand side of the floor but I could tell she was worried. Most likely about me, but I figured she'd forget about it as soon as we started sparring. I was feeling better and better the more I moved around.

Standing a few feet away from her I grinned. "Ready?"

"Whenever you are," was her half-hearted reply.

And with that we began. It went well, but Megan refused to press any sort of attack. If I was clumsy and left an opening she would ignore it, instead resorting to predictable tactics and slow, easily blocked maneuvers.

I quickly put a stop to it as I caught her wrist and flipped her onto the floor. She looked shocked and as I offered her my hand I flashed her a wry smile. "You feeling alright?"

Slowly she smiled. "I just wasn't sure…"

"I feel great," I reassured her. "Now, c'mon! Hit me!"

The rest of our sparring session was far more successful.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Good," Canary announced as I avoided a kick meant to sweep my feet out from under me. "Enough."

Everyone stopped their individual matches and turned to face her. "You all deserve a break. Take ten minutes to grab something to eat and then we'll go for another round."

Falling into step beside Megan the two of us made our way towards the door.

"Cay, can you come here for a minute?" Canary asked.

Nodding I spun on my heel and walked back towards where she stood next to Wally's vacated chair.

"You're back to normal," she commented happily. "That's good to see."

"Yeah, I feel pretty good."

She paused for a moment, holding my gaze with her own. "But have you tried to use your gel?"

I tried to keep my face blank. When I had woken up that morning I had wanted to try, but in reality I was a little nervous. "No, not yet."

"I figured as much," she said with a small smile. "Would you care to give it a try?"

"Are you sure?" I questioned.

She nodded. "Go ahead Cay."

Turning away from her I stared at the floor of the training area for a moment. Out of anyone Canary was probably the most likely to be able to handle a situation in which I tried to barbecue the Cave. Hoping that wouldn't happen I focused on bringing the gel to the surface of my skin.

The sensation that followed was different than before. Rather than the light tingling I was aware of every pore that was producing the gel. It was a little overwhelming and as it went on I found it easier to simply concentrate all the gel production in my hands. It was still strange, the feeling that came with it, but it was oddly exciting.

That excitement soon faded as I realized I wasn't wearing my rings.

I was about to cease the production of the gel when all of a sudden there was a quiet whooshing noise and all of a sudden my hands were alight.

Wally, of course, was the first to comment: "Now you're really too hot to handle!"

"Impressive," Canary conceded. "How do you feel?"

For a moment I remained silent. "Pretty awesome actually."

She smiled slightly. "Then perhaps-"

"Recognized, Zatara 1-1," the computer interrupted as the familiar, top hat wearing magician stepped out of the transporter. Intent on the control panel the blades of the transporter continued spinning. "Access granted, Zatana Zatara, A03. Authorization, Zatara 1-1."

I looked over at Kaldur the flames on my hands going out as I lost my concentration. "What's going on?"

He shrugged slightly. "Canary did not mention…"

As the light from the zeta tubes faded a dark haired girl, most likely around Robin's age stepped out of the transporter.

"Zatana, this is the team," Zatara introduced. "Team, my daughter, Zatana."

Megan floated forward intent on welcoming the new arrival to the team. "Hi, I'm—"

But Robin beat her to it. "Robin," he interrupted abruptly, sliding in front of Megan. With a small laugh he regained his composure. "I mean, I'm Robin. She's Megan, uh, and that's Wally, Artemis, Kaldur, Cay, and Conner."

As he gestured to me I raised a hand in greeting. Zatana just looked from one of us to the other. She kind of had the whole deer in the headlights look going for her. But I guess meeting a bunch of new people can be a little intimidating.

"Welcome to the Cave," greeted Kaldur, stepping forward.

"Uh, thanks," Zatana replied, casting a glance around the training area.

"So, are you joining the Team?" Robin asked excitedly.

I shot Kaldur a wry sidelong glance. Never had I seen Robin act like such a dork, tripping over his words and everything. It was pretty funny. And judging from the look Kaldur returned he had noticed it as well and found it as amusing as I did.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Zatara interrupted, stepping towards Zatana hat in hand. "This is strictly a visit." He turned to Canary. "Though, I am sorry we missed the training. It is something from which Zatana could benefit."

_ Do the rest of you get the impression we're still on probation with Zatara?_ Megan's voice sounded in my mind.

_Not just Zatara. I mean, why is Marvel still hanging around? _came Conner's disgruntled reply.

_Because we like having him around,_ Wally insisted.

Artemis rolled her eyes. _That's because he waits on you hand and foot!_

_I guess the League has been kind of… overbearing,_ I put in.

_It almost makes one nostalgic for Red Tornado's tenure as our supervisor,_ Kaldur agreed.

_Yeah, _Robin interjected suddenly, _at least he trusted us._

As his voice faded I caught sight of Zatana. She was watching us all with a perturbed expression on her face. All of a sudden it struck me that our silence while linked psychically may have appeared odd.

_If you ignore the fact that we shouldn't have trusted him!_ Conner snapped angrily.

_Guys,_ I tried to interrupt, _maybe—_

Zatana was obviously wise to her exclusion from our silent debate, but Conner was on a roll and as he threw his hands up Zatana looked even more suspicious.

_He was a traitor! That machine nearly got M'ga— all of us killed!_

As he finished Zatana stalked forward. "Are you guys having a psychic conversation? 'Cause I can't tell if that's cool, or, really rude."

Zatara and Canary both turned to looked at the Team as we all exchanged glances.

_And the jig is up_, I sighed.

Conner raised an eyebrow before turning to face the two Leaguers. "Alright fine, we were talking about Tornado. It's been weeks since his attack and the League hasn't told us anything."

"The League is searching for Tornado," Canary answered sharply. "As well as the other androids that attacked the Cave and their creator, T. O. Morrow. Batman's made tracking them down our highest priority."

Robin stepped forward past Conner. "But you've found none of the above."

I had known that eventually we would have to deal with Tornado but doing it with Zatara there just felt rude. And I already felt bad enough about the psychic conversation.

"Not yet," Canary responded, keeping her cool and stepping towards us. "But Tornado is Justice League, the Team is not to pursue this."

From the look on Conner's face I truly doubted that we would be following Canary's orders. And not just him, Robin and Wally both looked peeved. Even Megan was her usual bright, smiling self.

"Why don't you all take Zatana on a, uh," he paused, obviously realizing that where he was going with that thought would only further infuriate the team, "a tour of the Cave?"

Robin looked sidelong at me, his expression incredulous. Artemis and Wally exchanged looks that said, 'you can't be serious', and Conner just looked like he was going to murder someone. Kaldur nodded, and I followed suit.

"We'd love to," I replied with a forced smile.

"You're giving a tour!?" came Captain Marvel's familiar voice. "Cool!"

I turned to see him walking in carrying Wally's plate of nachos.

"Actually, I was hoping you could take Wolf outside," Conner said, adopting a calm and almost friendly tone. "He needs the exercise. We'll join you in a few."

"Sure, sure," Marvel agreed. "I can do that. C'mon Wolf!"

And with that he flew off, Wolf bounding after him obviously hoping to score some of Wally's nachos.

I fell into step next to Kaldur as Conner grabbed Wally who was lamenting the loss of his food. The Team plus Zatana moved towards the kitchen, leaving Canary and Zatara to whatever League business they needed to discuss.

As Kal and I led the way into the kitchen I heard Robin utter a shocked: "When did you?"

I turned to see that Zatara had changed out of her school uniform and was now sporting a purple tank top and beige slacks.

"How did you…" Robin trailed off, still shocked.

"We're not really taking a tour, are we?" Zatana asked, her tone bored.

"Well…" I shot a glance at Kaldur.

"No," Conner answered. "We're hunting down that robot."

To my surprise Kaldur nodded. "Yes." He looked to me, his mind obviously made up. "We are."

"Wow," Zatana commented, "out loud and everything."

"Yeah, sorry about that earlier," I apologized. "It's a bad habit."

She shrugged. "I'm over it."

"But what about new girl?" Artemis asked, obviously wondering the same thing as me. What were we supposed to do with Zatana if we went after Tornado. She obviously had some sort of magic based on the sudden wardrobe change. But I wasn't sure how handy that sort of thing would be in combat.

"I'm sure she won't tell," Robin said, immediately jumping to Zatana's defense.

"I can't tell," she replied with a sly smile. "Not if you kidnap me."

"Oh, she's gonna fit in great," Artemis grinned.

"We rendezvous at the bioship in five minutes," Kaldur instructed, glancing at me.

"I'll meet you all there, I need to change," I said, motioning to my workout gear.

He nodded. "I assumed so. Go. Five minutes."

I rolled my eyes good naturedly. "Does that mean I have to run?"

Whether he found it funny or not, he smiled slightly. "Yes, Cay."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

My room was a disaster as I sprinted out of it, my black suit clinging tightly to my body. I had donned the arm guards and the chest plate Batman had given me. A split second decision that I reasoned could be a very helpful one. They still carried that odd burnt smell, but in the last couple weeks I had made it a habit to dose the bag with a few healthy pumps from whatever body mist I had on hand so it had lessened considerably.

"About time," Artemis grinned as I hurtled into the bioship bay. Her eyes fell to the sleek grey arm guards and the chest plate. "Medieval," she commented.

"Whatever works, right?" I replied.

"You've got the latin superhero name, the medieval body armor," she tapped my chestplate with the end of her bow. "What's next?"

With a shrug I began mounting the ramp of the bioship. "Our next mission I plan to accomplish entirely while mounted on my warhorse."

As we stepped into the bioship the ramp slid shut behind us.

"You are prepared?" Kal asked as I sat down next to him.

"Yup."

He looked me up in down, taking in the newest additions to my wardrobe, but made no comment.

We were almost clear of Happy Harbor when Canary's voice came on the comm-link.


End file.
